Thakurdwara, BARDIA: The Rhino Count 2007 in Bardia National Park confirms a sharp decline in the rhino population. Only 31 rhinos were counted during a 10-day survey from 17-27 May 2007 according to the national authority, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. Five rhinos are believed to have migrated to Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in India from the national park through the Khata forest corridor.

Eighty three rhinos were translocated to Bardia National Park from Chitwan to create a new viable population. The last rhino census in 2000 found 37 rhinos in the Geruwa River floodplain and 30 in the Babai River floodplain. The acute situation of the conflict in the past few years greatly impacted conservation in the area when the 15 existing security posts were decreased to just six to cover an area of 968 km2. “The Babai River floodplain, the main habitat of rhinos, saw no national park officials and security persons for a period of three years and during this period, a huge number of wild animals were poached,” states a press release from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. Several additional posts have been reinstated since the restoration of peace in April 2006.

The rhino count was conducted by 12 recorders on individual elephants walking parallel to each other in a single direction on a pre-determined route to collect data along transects. The distance between two elephants was about 100-200m and this helped calculate the area surveyed or swept in the rhino habitat. Each rhino observed was individually numbered and a composite figure was developed by combining age, sex, horn and body characteristics. The basis to identify individual animals included shape and size of horn, folds present in the neck and rump, special body marks (cuts, scars, skin lobes) and other special characteristics present on both flanks of the body. Special attention was given to differentiate sex among rhinoceros observed during census to estimate sex ratio. This census was supported by WWF Nepal and National Trust for Nature Conservation.

“The results of the Rhino Count 2007 in Bardia National Park will not discourage our conservation efforts,” says Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. “If anything, we should all redouble our efforts to save this endangered species from the threats of illegal wildlife trade and loss of habitat.”