the status and distribution of the greater one-horned rhino in nepal

Executive Summary
Greater one horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is one of the highly threatened large mammals in
South Asia. Once common in the fl oodplains of Sindh, Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems between
Indo-Pakistan border in the west and Indo-Burma border in the east including the lowland Terai of
Nepal, the greater one horned rhinoceros (hereaft er referred to as rhino) are now confi ned in a few
fragmented forest and grassland patches, mainly in the protected areas in India (Assam: Kaziranga
Nati onal Park - NP, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary - WS, Orang NP; West Bengal: Jaldapara WS, Gorumara
WS; Utt ar Pradesh: Dudwa NP) and Nepal (Chitwan NP, Bardia NP and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve -
WR). Kaziranga NP holds the largest populati on of about 2000 individuals.
Rhino populati ons are greatly threatened due to uncontrolled poaching, degradati on and loss
of available habitats. Rhino populati ons in Chitwan NP and Bardia NP dramati cally declined due to
poaching during a period of social and politi cal instability. The Chitwan populati on of 544 individuals
in 2000 dropped to 372 in 2005. In Bardia, only 31 animals (out of a populati on of probably >100 from
the 83 animals reintroduced between 1986 and 2003) were recorded during census in mid 2007. In
additi on, rhino habitat is being degraded due to invasive alien plant species. Mikania micrantha in
Chitwan and Lantana camara in Bardia have heavily encroached most of the potenti al rhino habitats
and community forests in the buff er zones.
The Department of Nati onal Parks and Wildlife Conservati on (DNPWC) has been conducti ng rhino
census at an interval of 5 years since 1994. The 2008 Nati onal Rhino Census was carried out by DNPWC
in collaborati on with Nati onal Trust for Nature Conservati on (NTNC), WWF & Zoological Society of
London (ZSL).
The main objecti ves of 2008 census were to: a) determine the status and distributi on of greater onehorned
rhinos in and around Bardia NP and Chitwan NP; b) assess the level of poaching threat on the
rhino populati ons; c) use the census informati on to develop and implement an eff ecti ve strategy for the
security, monitoring and meta-populati on management of the remaining rhinos in Bardia NP, Chitwan
NP and Shuklaphanta WR; and d) obtain valuable informati on on the distributi on and abundance of
the primary invasive alien plant species M. micrantha, a major threat to prime rhino habitat in Chitwan
NP.
A standardised system has been introduced for future rhino counts. Further improvements have been
made to the counti ng process. A properly designed block system has been established. Necessary
training with evaluati on of all census staff in survey techniques and rhino observati on and accurate data
recording was undertaken (3 day hands-on training workshop). Field tools and monitoring equipment
have been put in place to ensure proper coordinati on of the sweeping operati on and minimisati on
of under or over counti ng of rhinos. Data quality control was essenti al and procedures implemented
included validati on of data at the end of each census day, clear briefi ng sessions at the start of each
census day and daily data analysis and debriefi ng sessions at the end of each census day. A well
coordinated logisti cs team played a key role in the successful completi on of the census.
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