19/04/2005– Political
instability leading to increased poaching,
and a lack of adequate protection over the
past five years, has drastically reduced Nepal’s
rhino population according to WWF.
Preliminary results from government census
figures reveal that the population of the
endangered greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros
unicornis) in Royal Chitwan National Park
has dropped from 544 in 2000 to 372 today
– a 31 per cent decline in five years.
At least 94 rhinos were lost to poaching.
Other causes of death included flooding, fighting,
predation and age. Increased poaching is probably
due to the reduction in the number of anti-poaching
posts from 32 to 8, but a more detailed analysis
is currently underway. The Maoist insurgency
has led to a situation where it is no longer
practical for park staff and soldiers with
the Royal Nepalese army to maintain a large
number of anti poaching camps.
The Census was conducted by a team of 25
trained field staff led by a scientist who
swept the park on elephant back identifying
and counting individual rhinos.
"Despite the best efforts of the government,
park staff and conservation groups, a loss
of at least 94 rhinos to poaching is cause
for serious concern and concerted action is
needed," said Dr Chandra Gurung, Country
Representative of WWF Nepal Programme.
"It is essential that His Majesty's
Government of Nepal implements a new anti-poaching
strategy to expand protection to parts of
the park that have recorded a drastic loss
of rhinos."
The current rhino census was conducted in
Nepal’s Royal Chitwan National Park, about
193km south of Kathmandu, home to most of
the country’s rhinos. In the 1960's, there
were less than 100 rhinos in Nepal. Concerted
conservation action, especially anti-poaching
efforts, pushed the numbers from 600 to 2000,
with Chitwan alone having 544 rhinos.
WWF believes that despite civil unrest and
the rapid decline in rhino population, it
does not spell the end of the species, but
in fact, highlights the need for even stronger
conservation action.
In 2002, 40 rhinos were poached. The government
of Nepal with support from WWF, then increased
strict anti-poaching and community efforts,
reducing the losses to 29 in 2003 and 10 in
2004. Without such measures, it is likely
poaching would have gone totally unchecked.
"We brought Nepal’s rhinos from the
brink of extinction once and we will do it
again with the joint effort of conservation
partners from around the world," Gurung
said. "In addition to being biologically
essential to Nepal’s Terai grasslands, the
rhinos serve as an economic lifeline to local
communities by providing millions of dollars
in tourism income."
