Local groups – Partnership for Rhino Conservation and Hands for Conservation – recently held a successful public awareness event in Chitwan, Nepal.
March 27, 2010 was an exciting day for Chitwan’s local conservationists and communities, as multiple conservation groups joined forces in an awareness-raising event that took off with a cycle rally and featured a number of theatrical presentations along the way.
Over 2,000 locals throughout the Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone area enjoyed the public awareness event presented by Nepal’s Partnership for Rhino Conservation and Hands for Conservation – while media coverage extended the program’s reach to an additional 3,000 people.
And according the Mr. Suman Bhattarai, Team Leader of Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal), the outcome was “fantastic!”
Cycle rally: Over 25 kilometers of education – and entertainment!
Over 100 people participated in the cycle rally, which included 25 motor bikes – and two tractors for the performers. More than 2,000 people watched as the 25-kilometer rally started from Chitwan’s Lothar User Committee and ended at the Mirga Kunja User Committee.
Covering the entire eastern sector of the Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone, the rally passed through the Lothar, Khangendramalli, Budhi Rapti, and Mirga Kunja User Committees.
Singing, dancing – and a taste of the theater!
Spectators were entertained and educated by conservation-themed songs and dances that were performed throughout the rally on portable stages hauled by tractors. They also enjoyed a taste of the theater: A play about the consequences of poaching – and opportunities for conservation – was performed in three different places throughout the day.
The entertainment appealed to locals, encouraging them to participate in nature conservation and biodiversity preservation. 4,000 pamphlets were distributed throughout the event, in hopes of giving people a starting point for their own conservation ideas.
Media coverage reaches an additional 3,000 people!
A news clip of the event was broadcast on the local television channel, and it also received coverage by four local print newspapers. Such coverage extended the program’s reach to another 3,000 people!
Special thanks
Teamwork made this public awareness event a success! Thank you to Mr. Bimal Kanta Dallakoti for coordinating the program, and to Hands for Conservation (HC/Nepal) for organizing the event. Thanks also to Mr. Suman Bhattarai of Partnership for Rhino Conservation, for taking time to discuss the event and provide photos.
Closing ceremony:
- Narendra Man Babu Pradhan (Chief Warden of Chitwan National Park)
- Tulsi Ram Sharma (Chief Warden of Parsa Wildlife Reserve)
- Shiv Raj Bhatta (Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation)
- Shanta Raj Jnawali (National Trust for Nature Conservation)
- B.R. Upreti (Chairman of Mirgakunja user Committee and Former Director of General, Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Supporters:
- National Trust for Nature Conservation (Major Funding)
- Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal (PARC/Nepal)
- Saving Rhinos LLC
- Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation
- Nagao Natural Environment Foundation
- Sea World Busch Garden Conservation Fund
- Terai Arc Land – WWF
- Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone Lothar User Committee
- Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone Khangendramalli User Committee
- Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone Budhi Rapti User Committee
- Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone Mirga Kunja User Committee
To learn more, please visit Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal).
Saving Rhinos helps Partnership for Rhino Conservation by selling rhino t-shirts. The proceeds help pay for printing PARC’s educational materials and sponsoring PARC’s public awareness events.
- Buy a rhino t-shirt to help support PARC
Photos courtesy of Suman Bhattarai, Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal
