The Royal Bardia National Park was initially a Royal hunting reserve. It was in 1976 that it was gazetted as Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve with an area of only 368 sq. KM in 1982, It was renamed as Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve Which also included the Babai River Valley. It was only in 1988 that is was granted a status of National Park in order to preserve the dwindling species of rare ecosystem, including flora and fauna, particularly the tiger and its other prey species. This park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the terai p[providing excellent habitat for most of the endangered species of wildlife and birds. The park now covers an area of 968 sq. KM. It was only 1994 basic facilities existed for independent visitors. It has extensive and varied wildlife-all endangered rhinoceros, Wild elephants, The Royal Bengal Tiger, Swamp deer, Black buck, Gharial Crocodile, Gangetic Dolphins.

More than thirty different mammals, over 400 species of birds, many snakes, lizards , and fish have been sighted and recorded in the park's forest, grassland and river habitats.