Koshi

When you are in the field, you don’t imagine stories. Stories come to you. You experience them. And this is my experience sharing from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve.

What led me to Koshi Tappu?

Dolphins.

Well, many people are unaware of the existence of Dolphins in Koshi, but yes, Dolphins are found in Nepal. The Koshi River of eastern Nepal is not just a vital resource for humans; it is also home to the majestic Gangetic dolphins, also known as River Dolphins (Dolphins can be additionally found in the Karnali and Narayani rivers of Nepal, if you didn’t know earlier).

If you find yourself at the Koshi Barrage, take a moment—10 to 20 minutes—to immerse yourself in the water currents, or if it’s too long for you, approach the local fishermen nearby; they might point out the dolphins or their location to you (the probability of spotting them is higher during the morning and evening). During my visit, I was fortunate enough to spot four dolphins simultaneously.

The number 4 might sound great to someone who hasn’t encountered these species before. But let me tell you, it’s not. The Gangetic dolphins have been listed as an “Endangered” species in the IUCN Red List of threatened species, which means their population is rapidly declining all around their distributional ranges, including the Koshi. So, I had this opportunity to take part in the Annual Dolphin Count Survey 2025. On our first day of survey, we set up for the shore-based count from 7 am to 11 am and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Some of our team members set out for the boat-based surveys. As of June 2025, our survey team collectively counted an estimated population of 22 dolphins in the Koshi River of Nepal. Most of the population is concentrated near and around the downstream side of the Koshi Barrage. The major reason for this concentrated population of dolphins is the Koshi Barrage itself, which has restricted their movements. Although fish ladders are present in the area, the dolphins are rarely found upstream. Conservationists in the area think that the barrage has been there for so long that maybe the dolphins don’t even have a sense of what lies beyond anymore and don’t even try to reach out to the other side.

So, it was our first day of the survey, and it was already starting to get dark by the time we were heading back. Our team was traveling in a jeep from Koshi Barrage to the head office of Koshi Tappu, from where we had to ride motorbikes again to Koshi Bird Observatory (KBO), where we were staying. Well, my experience gets more interesting here. While we were in the moving vehicle, someone in the group told us to slow down. “There’s a wild elephant ahead. Be careful,” he said. As someone who hadn’t encountered a wild elephant before, I got excited. It was a semi-adult one standing on the road. As the vehicle approached closer, it was scared away. I couldn’t get a clearer view due to the darkness, but the encounter, though not a scary one, left us with an impression of what unknown things might lie ahead. With that fear, we took a longer route to get back to KBO that passed through the village (the shorter route went through the forest, and the risk of elephant encounter was high there).

Was I thrilled with the encounter? Yes. Did I wish I could have gotten a clearer view? Yes. Did the thought of taking the forest road cross my mind so that I could encounter the elephant again? Yes. And was I scared? Yes too.

The next day of the survey started early, too. As we were traveling the forestic route, we encountered broken branches from elephants and their dung on the road. We were glad not to have traveled this very road the other evening. Our survey ended quite early this day, and we headed home in broad daylight, for our safety, but guess what? We encountered the same wild elephant on the way back, just after 5 minutes of our ride. It was standing tall in the middle of the road with people stopping at both ends. I took out my phone, took videos and photos, put it back in my pocket, and had enough time to watch in awe, admire the species, while thinking of possible ways to save myself if it came running in our direction. But, as we watched it calmly, the elephant entered the forest on the side of the road and made a huge trumpeting sound before hiding itself among the trees.

It was a fulfilling experience for me. I went to Koshi and encountered dolphins, several birds, water buffalo, hog deer, and a wild elephant just 10-20 meters away. I also had a thrilling story to share with my friends and family and post on this blog. But after the excitement settles in. You begin thinking about reality. About the people who live near forests. About the wildlife that lives near the human settlements. It’s one thing, you visit a place for a survey or a research project. It is completely another thing to live in these areas with the everyday uncertainties of these encounters. For the local communities and wild elephants in my story, this isn’t just an experience, but their way of life. A life that is shaped with awe and fear. And behind every story like mine, there’s a bigger picture of conflict, survival, and the urgent need to protect what we still have.