Posted on 23 April 2011
- Chitwan, Nepal – Data from the three-week
National Rhino Census in Nepal shows that
the population of the greater one horned
rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Unicornis) has increased.
There are 534 rhinos
in Nepal, marking an increase of 99 rhinos
from the 435 recorded in the last census
in 2008, according to the census results,
which were released Saturday.
Of that total, 503 rhinos
were recorded in Chitwan National Park (an
increase of 95 from 2008 data), 24 in Bardia
National Park (an increase of 2 from 2008
data) and 7 in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
(an increase of 2 from 2008 data). These
numbers reflect the success of conservation
efforts for this species and are a result
of improved rhino protection measures and
management of habitat.
Working together
The rhino counting was
conducted simultaneously in Chitwan National
Park, Bardia National Park and Shuklaphanta
Wildlife Reserve of Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape,
and was a combined effort of the Department
of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation
of the Government of Nepal, WWF Nepal and
the National Trust for Nature Conservation.
WWF provided technical as well as financial
support for the National Rhino Census.
This is a fine example
of working together where all conservation
partners and local communities are contributing
to the conservation efforts of the Government
of Nepal, says Krishna Prasad Acharya, Director
General of Department of National Parks
and Wildlife Conservation. Support received
from WWF Nepal is appreciated and we are
hopeful that this support will continue
in the coming years with more vigor, Mr,
Acharya added.
The positive result
of the National Rhino census 2011 is an
indication of the successful conservation
efforts of the Government of Nepal in partnership
with conservation partners. WWF Nepal is
very pleased to see our investment being
paid off, says Mr. Anil Manandhar, Country
Representative of WWF Nepal. Even though
the current census shows the rise in rhino
number we cannot be complacent and therefore
continuous efforts from all sectors is essential
to protect endangered species like Rhino
and their habitat.
"We are much encouraged
that increased WWF support to the anti-poaching
efforts of Government of Nepal has actually
resulted in an increase in the Rhino population
within three years," says Dr. Christy
Williams, WWF’s Asian Rhino and Elephant
Action Strategy coordinator.
"WWF Nepal acknowledges
with gratitude the support received from
the WWF US, WWF UK, WWF Finland, WWF Netherlands,
WWF International, US Fish and Wildlife
Service, National Trust for Nature Conservation
and all other contributors, particularly
local communities and private sector for
this conservation endeavor," says Dr.
Ghana S Gurung, Conservation Program Director,
WWF Nepal. Based on this encouraging result
now we need to come up with strategies to
build a thriving population in the Terai
Arc Landscape, Dr. Gurung added.
The threats
Today, rhinos mainly
are threatened by habitat loss and poaching,
and worldwide few them survive outside of
national parks and reserves.
The greatest threat
to rhinos is the demand for rhino horn,
used in traditional Asian medicine to treat
a variety of ailments.
Although international
trade in rhino horn is banned under CITES
(Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Fauna and Flora) and although
some traditional medical practitioners are
using alternatives to rhino horn, the demand
for horn remains high.
Habitat loss is a concern
too, especially in south-east Asia and India,
as human populations rise and forests are
degraded or destroyed.
+ More
Business, government
meeting ends in emissions reductions commitment
Posted on 29 April 2011
- Jakarta, Indonesia - The Business 4 Environment
(B4E) Summit closed today in Jakarta with
the release of the B4E 2011 Business Declaration
supporting Indonesia’s commitment to reduce
emissions by between 26 percent and 41 percent
by 2020.
This Declaration has
been developed as a pledge from the Indonesian
business community to support President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Government
of Indonesia to reduce emissions by a minimum
of 26 percent by 2020, against a targeted
7% economic growth.
“Governments cannot
do the efforts alone,” said Indonesian President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a keynote address
on Thursday. “As all of us move towards
low-carbon development, we will need the
greater participation of civil society and
business leaders as our partners to realize
a robust green economy,” he continued.
The President also highlighted
Indonesia’s commitment to allocate the expansion
of plantations and other economic activities
to already degraded - or low carbon- areas.
“WWF is very pleased
with the bold commitment by the Indonesian
President. This is a foundation for all
business players to synergize with relevant
stakeholders to reach the target of 26 to
41 percent emissions reduction, as laid
out in 2009 at the G20 meeting in Pittsburg,”
said Dr. Efransjah, CEO of WWF-Indonesia.
The summit’s nearly
700 representatives from business, governments
and NGOs were included in the declaration,
delivered by H.E Hatta Rajasa Indonesia’s
Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
A key component of the
Declaration is an agreement to support Zero
Net Deforestation and Forest Degradation
by 2020 (ZNDD), and at the same time phasing
out of products coming from deforestation
of ecologically important forests by 2020.
Based on the first chapter
of WWF’s new Living Forests Report, which
was released at the B4E summit on Wednesday,
27 April, more than 230 million hectares
of forest will disappear by 2050 if no action
is taken. The report proposes that policymakers
and businesses unite around a goal of ZNDD
by 2020 as a global benchmark to avoid dangerous
climate change and curb biodiversity loss.
The Declaration is an
encouraging sign that we are moving towards
the kind of cross-sector collaboration that
is crucial if we are going to halt forest
loss and mitigate the damaging impacts of
climate change,” Dr. Efransjah added.
The Declaration also
included promises to reduce resource intensity
with investments in energy and resource
efficiency, support for areas of high biodiversity,
investment in sustainable urban planning
and better supply chain management.
“We will continue working
to encourage forestry and plantation companies
to use sustainable practices. Good governance
and incentives will provide the certainty
businesses need to operate successfully
using existing degraded land,” said Rod
Taylor, WWF International’s Director of
Forests.
Business collaboration
in the Heart of Borneo
The B4E Summit opened with the Heart of
Borneo (HoB) Green Business Day, organized
by WWF’s Heart of Borneo Initiative, providing
an opportunity for open dialogue between
key business leaders in the palm oil, forestry
and mining sectors with operations on the
island of Borneo.
Adam Tomasek, WWF’s
HoB team leader, said the HoB Initiative
was committed to using a multi-stakeholder
process to achieve conservation and sustainable
development across the 22 million hectares
landscape.
“The HoB Green Business
day represented this commitment and the
productive dialogue that emerged with the
key sectors, government and civil society
helped deepen the understanding of challenges
and opportunities of achieving sustainability.”
He said the event moved
commitments forward in a number of ways,
in particular with the announcement of the
first pulp and paper participants to join
GFTN Indonesia.
