April-10, Chitwan: The one-horned rhinos, which are considered rare in the world, have increased by 107 in the last six years in Nepal. The 18-day census in four national parks and surrounding intermediate areas found 752 rhinos.
In the 1950s, there were 800 rhinos in Nepal. But in the 1960s, it dropped to about 100. With the initiative for conservation, the number of rhinos gradually increased and in 2015, the number of rhinos was found to be 645.
At a press conference held at the National Nature Conservation Fund in Sauraha on Saturday, Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment Dr. Viswanath Oli informed that the number of rhinos has increased.
The highest number of one-horned rhinos has reached 694 in Chitwan. Earlier it was 605. According to the park, 161 rhinos have died in the 2015 census.
In 2015, there were 29 rhinos in Bardiya National Park. Now it has increased to 38. Similarly, it has increased from 8 to 18 in Shuklaphanta. In 2015, there were three rhinos in Parsa National Park, but this time the census has the same number.
The park has categorized adults, half-adults and children into three groups. The number of divorced males is 146 and the number of females is 198, while the number of sexless identities is 408. There are 520 adult rhinos, 96 semi-adults and 136 children.
The park area was calculated block-by-block. The data on how many rhinos are in which block will also be made public. Deepak Kumar Kharal informed.
According to him, the data will be analyzed by looking at the birth, death and migration status of rhinos. In order to make the rhino census scientific and systematic, no rhinoceros should be left out and repeated in all the places where the rhinoceros are housed, said Annath Baral, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
According to the census conducted in Chitwan National Park and Intermediate Zone, Bardiya National Park, Shuklaphant National Park and Parsa National Park, about 250 manpower including 43 elephants were mobilized.
Hattisar employee Pulisram Tharu was killed in a tiger attack in Bardiya National Park during the rhino census. Eight people have been injured in a fight with an elephant. Eight staff members were injured when a rhinoceros used in a rhinoceros count ran away in a scuffle with a Dhurbe elephant in the park area of Amaltari, Nawalparasi. The condition of one of the injured is critical.
The National Nature Conservation Fund has spent Rs 14 million on technical assistance for the rhino census. Earlier, the government had provided Rs 11 million for the census to be conducted only with the help of international NGOs.
