KATHMANDU:  Buffer zones have been announced in 13 wildlife reserves and national parks so far, said the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation on Sunday.

According to DNPWC, the announcement is aimed at protecting the greenery in and around the parks and protecting the wildlife.

Buffer zones were announced in the Chitwan National Park and the Bardiya National Park for the first time in 1996.

The Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park is the latest park to be declared as the buffer zone in April, 2015, said Narayan Rupakheti, the Information Officer at the DNPWC.