The Parsa Wildlife Reserve has requested the government to upgrade its status to a national park. Birendra Prasad Kandel, information officer of the reserve, said they have forwarded a proposal to the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The decision will be taken by the Cabinet, he added. Lawmakers, hotel entrepreneurs and Buffer Zone Management Committee have been lobbying for granting the PWR the national park status since long. The reserve covers an area of 637.39 sq km and is spread across Parsa, Bara and Makwanpur districts. It is home to 300 kinds of birds, 32 mammal species and 14 reptiles.