Successfull translocation of One Horned Rhinos in Nepal

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Country : Nepal

Type : Making News

Five Greater one-horned rhinos found a new home in the first week March 2016 in Bardia National Park through a successful translocation expedition from Chitwan National Park in Nepal.  Plans are afoot to translocate 30 rhinos to Bardia National Park and 5 rhinos to Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve upto 2018. The ultimate aim is to create a second viable population in the Bardia National Park and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.

The translocation involved use of 33 elephants and a team of about 250 people drawn from Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation with the support of WWF Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal Army and local communities. The translocation was funded by WWF’s AREAS Program, WWF US, USAID and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Rhino translocation in Nepal dates back to 1986 when the first batch of 13 rhinos was translocated from Chitwan National Park to Bardia National Park.

 
Nepal achieved 365 days of zero poaching of rhinos on three separate occasions since 2011, and it’s rhino population is in a growing trend with 645 rhinos recorded based on the rhino count of 2015. In Bardia alone, rhino populations grew from 24 to 29 as compared to the previous count in 2011. This has been attributed to heightened security measures within protected areas; in Bardia alone, there are 33 guard posts that provide protection to endangered wildlife such as rhinos and tigers.

With top level commitment in rhino conservation, a well-coordinated protection response between the national parks, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, local communities and the support of conservation partners such as WWF and the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Nepal’s rhino population could well be on a growing trend in the backdrop of the successful rhino translocations.  

Two other species of wildlife likely to be reintroduced in the near future to the Padampur area of Chitwan National Park which has been identified as being suitable habitat for the “Arna” wild buffalo from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Black Buck from Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.  In 2013 the Arna population stood at 326 individuals and Black Buck at 2,200 individuals in these two Reserve areas respectively.

Join a tour to visit the Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Parks to view wildlife on elephant back safaris, canoeing through riverrine jungles, go birdwatching and experience the cultural diversity in the southern plains of Nepal terai,