Busted!

Authorities at Chitwan National Park have reportedly arrested 17 people in connection with a rhino horn smuggling operation.

The smuggling ring is believed to be part of a larger network involving Chitwan, Nawalparasi and Kathmandu, according to The Himalayan Times.

Chief Conservation Officer Jhamak Bahadur Kark said that Rs. 900,000 ($11,465) was confiscated from the gang.

Greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Nepal’s most recent rhino census found that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534. The count was conducted in April 2011, and revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes the new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

Image: By Krish Dulal (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

World Rhino Day in Nepal!

On September 22^nd, 2011, World Rhino Day was celebrated for the first time in Nepal.

The historic event was covered by local TV, radio (Nepal and South Africa), local newspapers, and social media.

Team leader and founder of Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) Suman Bhattarai, spoke to journalists, stakeholders and other parties about World Rhino Day – and the need to protect rhinos.

He explained that rhinos are under threat globally because of myths about rhino horn.

The misconception and mystical belief about rhino horn is the main cause for rhino poaching.

In addition to promo clips leading up to World Rhino Day, the program was broadcast live through Beso Channel, and on three radio stations, then aired again several times.

Chitwan’s online news portal, Chitwan Khabar, also featured World Rhino Day on the website.

Mr. Bhattarai was interviewed by Synergy FM in Nepal, and Jacaranda FM in South Africa.

A total of 20 World Rhino Day posters with hangers and frame were distributed to Chitwan National Park, Bufferzone Council, Bufferzone User Committees, Anti-poaching groups, Terai Arc Landscape Programme office, and members of the local media.

Another presentation was given by representatives of local institutions, who highlighted existing dangers to rhinos, and the possible role of local communities to overcome these threats.

It was chaired by the president of Mrigakunja User Committee and facilitated by the President of Community Based Geographical Information System Center Nepal. Participants included President of Bauchhouli VDC, Officer of TAL/WWF, Chairman of Anti-poaching Group, and the Hotel Association/Nepal.

This local presentation was organized by the Chitwan National Park Bufferzone Mrigakunja User Committee, Community Based Geographical Information System Center Nepal, Sauraha, and the Anti-Poaching Group (Bufferzone of Chitwan National Park).

World Rhino Day in Nepal was also supported by Saving Rhinos and Asian Rhino Project.

Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal

We have been working with Suman Bhattarai and his grassroots organization Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) since June 2009. Under Suman’s guidance, PARC focuses on helping the residents of Chitwan National Park’s buffer zone live side-by-side with the greater one-horned rhino.

We assist Suman with promoting PARC’s efforts on our social media platforms and also with support from our t-shirt sales.

Find out more about the public awareness activities we have helped support at Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Exciting news from Nepal!

Conservationists and local communities living in the Chitwan National Park buffer zone are getting ready to celebrate the country’s greater one-horned rhino on World Rhino Day.

According to Suman Bhattarai, founder of Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal), this event will be the first of its kind.

This is very exciting – it is the first time World Rhino Day has been celebrated in Chitwan, or even in Nepal!

PARC/Nepal has organized the historic event, which includes a radio program and coverage by the local TV station, Beso Channel.

Beso Channel reaches the entire district of Chitwan, Nepal.

A series of promo clips will be aired the week prior to the live broadcast on World Rhino Day. The program will be shown on a regular basis for a few months.

Last year, PARC, along with Hands for Conservation held a public awareness event that reached thousands of people: Rhino Conservation Event Reaches Over 5,000 People in Chitwan, Nepal.

Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal

We have been working with Suman Bhattarai and his grassroots organization Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) since June 2009. Under Suman’s guidance, PARC focuses on helping the residents of Chitwan National Park’s buffer zone live side-by-side with the greater one-horned rhino.

We assist Suman with promoting PARC’s efforts on our social media platforms and also with support from our t-shirt sales.

Find out more about the public awareness activities we have helped support at Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation

World Rhino Day is September 22^nd – learn more at the World Rhino Day FAQs and the World Rhino Day page on Facebook®.

Photo & logo courtesy & © Suman Bhattarai, PARC/Nepal

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

A very inspirational update from our partners in Nepal!

Rhino conservation efforts in Nepal received a big boost in awareness, thanks to the formation of “Eco-Clubs” in schools located in the Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone.

It was the team effort of our field liaisons at Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) working with the Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone Lothar User Committee that helped create Eco-Clubs at three different schools.

The goal of the Eco-Clubs is two-fold: 1) Creating conservation awareness at the local level, and 2) Taking a stand against illegal activities.

The future of conservation

The founder of PARC/Nepal, Suman Bhattarai, emphasizes the important role of children in the future of conservation.

Children are the drivers of the future. Without a doubt, responsibility of conservation will be in their hands. If we do not empower and sensitize them on time, there will be no continuity of conservation. It is of utmost importance for this generation to continue today’s success stories, and also to develop new approaches for conservation.

It is with children in mind that PARC/Nepal and the Chitwan NP Bufferzone Lothar User Committee approached local schools with the Eco-Club idea.

At first, local schools were visited to collect view of students and teachers to form eco-club in their schools. During this visits, students and teachers were notified about the importance clubs. This notification helped to draw interests of schools, teachers and students to form clubs.

The efforts paid off: Three schools in the Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone now have their own Eco-Clubs!

Eco-Club at Rastriya Secondary School, Manahari.

Phase I: Motivation

The Eco-Club formation was carried out in three phases. In the motivational first phase, students learned the basics.

• What is an Eco-Club?
• What are the objectives of an Eco-Club, and what does it do?
• What are its working areas and key activities?
• How can membership be provided to other interested students?
• How does an eco-club make difference at local level?
• How can the Eco-Club arrange resources for conducting activities?
• What are conservation holidays and how can they be celebrated through an Eco-Club?

Eco-Club at Rastriya Lower Secondary School, Nayabasti.

Phase II: Formation

Once students had an understanding of the Eco-Club’s purpose and the opportunities it could provide, some of the club members stepped up to form the committee which would be responsible for organizing the ongoing activities and keeping the members engaged.

Eco-Club President (Rastriya Secondary School, Mahadevtar).

In addition, a teacher was nominated as the committee’s patron, while the corresponding school’s headmaster would serve in an advisory capacity.

Phase III: Responsibilities

Following the formation of the Eco-Club, the committee members immersed themselves in their new responsibilities. The committee President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer were given individual coaching in their roles by the project facilitators. For example, the Treasurer learned about keeping income and expenditure records.

Eco-Club Patron (Environment teacher – Rastriya Secondary School, Mahadevtar).

The committee also held brainstorming sessions to come up with innovative income-generating ideas.

Moving forward

There are currently three schools participating in the Eco-Club project:

• Rastriya Secondary School, (Mahadevtar, Piple, Chitwan)
• Rastriya Lower Secondary School, (Nayabasti, Piple, Chitwan)
• Rastriya Secondary School, (Sunachuri, Manahari, Makawanpur)

Handing over the minutes book to Eco-Club Secretary.

To help the Eco-Clubs move forward, PARC/Nepal and the Chitwan NP Lothar User Committee committed to providing a small fund to the clubs for the first year.

Eco-Club impact

The Rastriya Lower Secondary School Eco-Club has already raised funds with a rhino conservation drama, performed by the club members. The schools also celebrated World Environment Day by holding a conservation song competition.

The Eco-Club project facilitators are Uttam Luitel, Deepa Paudel and Suman Bhattarai.

Greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Nepal’s most recent rhino census found that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534. The count was conducted in April 2011, and revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes the new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

All photos courtesy and © Suman Bhattarai; PARC/Nepal and Saving Rhinos LLC.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Busted in Kathmandu.

Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau has arrested a gang of seven rhino horn smugglers. The accused have been identified as Dipak Bahadur Hamal, Dil Bahadur, Lor Bahadur Gurung, Bhim Bahadur Bishwokarma, Ramesh Hamal, Dinesh Adhikari (“Chari”), and Narayan Shrestha.

According to The Himalayan Times, the gang had a rhino horn in their possession when they were busted in Kathmandu.

Two of the suspects, Dinesh Adhikari (“Chari”) and Dipak Bahadur Hamal have political ties.

A spokesperson for Nepal’s Green Civil Society, BK Dalit, has called for the strictest punishments for “Chari”, stating that his position should not influence sentencing.

There is a trend of letting off wild life body parts smugglers with light punishment due to political pressure and this is likely in the case of Chari as he enjoys the same, so we demand the fullest punishment possible for him.

In addition, Janak Bista of the Shaktikhor-based Third Division PLA Cantonment said that Dipak Bahadur Hamal was arrested while on leave, and should not receive special treatment.

The state should take action against him if he is found guilty.

The National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973, the suspects face prison sentences from five to fifteen years and fines of Rs 50,000 to 100,000 – or both.

Chitwan National Park authorities will decide the fate of the accused rhino horn smugglers.

Greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Nepal’s most recent rhino census found that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534. The count was conducted in April 2011, and revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes the new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

Image © iStockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle

As the demand for illegal rhino horn continues to grow, so does the list of victims.

Among these victims are baby rhinos who are not only orphaned, but have witnessed the brutal murders and mutilations of their mothers.

Here are just a few of the atrocities which left baby rhinos behind – atrocities committed because of medicinal myths about rhino horn:

• June 20^th, 2011: A four-month-old calf was orphaned when a female white rhino was killed on a private game farm in Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province.
• June 5^th, 2011: Swaziland’s first rhino poaching tragedy in nearly 20 years left a young calf behind.
• December 29^th, 2010: A six-month-old calf was orphaned in North West Province.
• December 13^th, 2010: The bodies of three male rhinos were found in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and a female in the Emakhosini-Ophathe Heritage Park. A young calf was left behind by the killing of the mother rhino.

During the first week of December 2010, two female rhinos – mother and daughter – were brutally murdered in the Botsalano Game Reserve near the Botswana border.

The mother rhino’s younger calf was left alone. Read An Orphaned Baby Rhino Gone Too Soon: Vusi’s Story.

In the fall of 2010, a young calf was orphaned in Nepal when her mother was electrocuted by a fence that had been illegally set by a farmer.

Unspeakable crimes

Sometimes, the baby rhinos are murdered, too.

• May 2 ^nd, 2011: A mother rhino and her four-month-old calf were slaughtered for their horns in Limpopo Province.
• April 20^th, 2011: Three rhinos, including one calf, were murdered in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

At the beginning of 2008, a greater one-horned rhino and her calf were both killed in Kaziranga National Park, India.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Who among us can forget the dark day in Zimbabwe, at Imire Safari Ranch on November 7^th, 2007 when three black rhinos and an unborn calf were brutally slain – leaving a baby black rhino orphaned and traumatized?

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Note about the video: It has since been determined that the market for illegal rhino horn is driven by demand in China and Vietnam, not Yemen.

The ‘moral chasm’

How can we reconcile the moral chasm that lies between a 5,000-pound rhino carcass and a few pounds of harvested horn? It’s difficult not to feel that all of humanity has let these animals down by failing to protect them from our species’ worst impulses. – Jeff Corwin, from his book 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species.

How can we, indeed?

Photo and image credits: #1 & 5 © iStockphoto.com; #2 courtesy and © Pam Krzyza; #3 courtesy and © Suman Bhattarai (PARC/Nepal); #4 © Saving Rhinos LLC

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Authorities in Nepal have arrested two rhino killing suspects.

Two suspected rhino killers with a rhino horn in their possession have been arrested by police in Chitwan. The duo was identified as Bal Bahadur Chepang and Ramesh Tamang.

Nepalese news portal The Himalayan Times reports that Chapang has been involved with at least a dozen rhino killing incidents and is on the “most wanted” list.

Of the two, Chapang is facing about a dozen charges of poaching rhino’s horn. He is on the most wanted list of the Chitwan National Park administration.

Police arrested the suspects during a raid on a house in Chalise of Gajuri VDC-2 of Dhading district. The two will be turned over to the local area Forest Office for sentencing.

Nepal’s divisional forest offices have a track record of handing out serious penalties for rhino crimes.

Greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Nepal’s most recent rhino census found that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534. The count was conducted in April 2011, and revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes the new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

Image: istockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

An exclusive excerpt from the new book Murder, Myths & Medicine.

There was good news from Nepal last month, when the country’s rhino census revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the previous count in 2008. With 534 rhinos, Nepal is now home to nearly 18 percent of the world’s greater one-horned rhino population.

However, the demand for illegal rhino horn and Nepal’s proximity to China means these rhinos remain in constant danger of being killed.

Excerpt from the new book Murder, Myths & Medicine:

Doing the dirty work in Chitwan National Park

Wildlife trafficking syndicates carry out the murders of Nepal’s majestic pachyderms by hiring Nepalese middlemen to recruit villagers.

Indigenous people, such as the Chepang, Tharu, and Tamang, are frequently targeted.

In an effort to find people who are not supportive of wildlife conservation, the middlemen frequently visit the Chitwan National Park buffer zone and surrounding areas.

The middlemen collect information about people whose crops have been raided by rhinos or have family members who have been injured or killed by rhinos.

‘Families are particularly susceptible’

Families are particularly susceptible. Middlemen consult with parents, telling them they can provide better lives for their children through rhino horn trafficking.

In order to stir emotions, the middlemen often show photos of people who have been killed by rhinos, to the parents.

The newly recruited killers enter the park under the guise of collecting firewood, fodder, or vegetables, when they are actually carrying guns and provisions.

Once inside the park, they scout for rhinos. After the rhino’s location is discovered, it is shot and killed.

The rhino horn is hidden in the firewood (or whatever was collected as cover), and the recruits head for home.

Upon returning to the village with the rhino horn, the poachers contact the middlemen to arrange for delivery to Kathmandu or Pokhara.

It is usually a woman or a young person who smuggles the rhino horn into the city.

However, it’s not only the begrudged locals who are dangerous to rhinos. The open border with India also invites plenty of trouble.

‘Entrepreneurs’ from India

For example, “entrepreneurs” from India are known to enter Nepal, where they erect a stall or a hut near Chitwan National Park.

In this scheme, they usually set up a trade, such as stone carving, to cover their hidden agenda.

After settling in, they also begin the collection of firewood and other supplies from the park, but like the village recruits, these entrepreneurs are actually looking for rhinos.

Once the rhino horn reaches Kathmandu or Pokhara, it is smuggled to the traditional destination of China, a country which already hunted its own rhinos – and nearly all three Asian rhino species – to extinction.

• Preview Chapter One and purchase the book Murder, Myths & Medicine here.
• Learn more about our efforts to support and promote rhino conservation awareness activities in Nepal.

Citation: Larson, Rhishja. Murder, Myths & Medicine (San Francisco, CA: Saving Rhinos LLC, 2011), p. 64

Photo courtesy of Suman Bhattarai, Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal)

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

We are pleased to share this update from our partners in Nepal.

In an effort to raise awareness of Nepal’s biodiversity conservation mission, the first week of the Nepalese New Year was declared by the government as Wildlife Week.

Our team at Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) played a vital role in Chitwan’s Wildlife Week festivities, which kicked off on April 16^th.

‘Forest and Wetland for Life’

On April 13^th, the Mrigakunja User Committee led a strategy session to plan for Wildlife Week 2068. The motto Forest and Wetland for Life was selected for Wildlife Week 2068.

The session was attended by an impressive turnout of local stakeholders, including Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal), Chitwan National Park, Hotel Association Nepal Chitwan, Bird Education Society, Nature Guide Association, Wildlife Conservation Society-Sauraha, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), Terai Arc Land Programme (WWF/TAL), Patihani User Committee, Barandabhar User Committee, Eco-farmer group, Bachhauli VDC, Baghmara Bufferzone Community Forest User Committee, Janakauli Bufferzone Community/Forest User Committee, and youth clubs for anti-poaching awareness.

Kick-off day

Wildlife Week 2068 kicked off on the bank of the Rapti River at 8:00 AM on 1^st Baisakh 2068 (April 16^th) with the establishment of three flags representing the Nepalese Government, Chitwan National Park, and World Heritage. The objective of establishing the flags is to commemorate Chitwan National Park’s status as a World Heritage Site.

After the opening ceremony, cleaning activities took place from Bakshyaswor Mandir chowk to Odara chowk, an area which is popular with tourists.

Construction, canoeing and community

On the second day of the celebration, the Jankauli Bufferzone Community Forest announced the construction of a wildlife viewing tower. This area of the forest is a major point for wildlife viewing, and tourism is one of the key income generators of the area.

The day continued with a canoeing adventure to view crocodiles in their natural habitat. Nepal is the main habitat of two crocodile species (Gavialis gangeticus and Crocodilus palustris).

There are approximately 200 Gavialis gangeticus and 5,000 Crocodilus palustris left in the wild.

A final excursion for the day was made to the Tharu Museum, which was organized by the Hariali Youth Club and Tharu Museum Management Committee.

The Tharu community is indigenous to the area and they have played a vital role in the conservation of the Nepalese Terai (Lowland). Did you know the Tharu people have a natural resistance to malaria?

Lake cleaning and bird watching

Day Three of Wildlife Week commenced with the cleaning of the areas around Beeshazar Lake, one of Nepal’s rich biodiversity hotspots. The lake is famous for wetland birds and globally threatened mammals and reptiles.

Unfortunately, due to invasive species and the haphazard casting of waste from tourism use, the Beeshazar Lake is becoming increasingly polluted.

Members of the local community and tourists pitched in and helped with the clean-up project.

Following the Beeshazar Lake activities, the Bird Education Society (BES) presented a bird watching program to tourists and local people.

Beeshazar Lake is a key habitat for Nepal’s native bird populations.

River clean up

As the Rapti River has been enduring high pollution levels, it was the site of another vital clean-up project.

The Rapti River, along with the Narayani and Riu, is one of the main water resources of Chitwan National Park.

Forest clean up and quiz

The fifth day of Wildlife Week was all about Baghmara Bufferzone Community Forest, which is a key area for observing Nepal’s greater one-horned rhinos via elephant safari. This area generates significant income through tourism, which also means that the area was in need of a clean up.

The Baghmara Bufferzone Community Forest clean up was coordinated and carried out by the Regional hotel association, Wildlife conservation society, Baghmara BZCF, and Eco-farmer group.

In addition to the forest clean up, a quiz contest especially for women was held.

Suman Bhattarai of Partnership for Rhino Conservation notes that women are critical to wildlife conservation in Nepal.

When a woman becomes educated, it can influence the whole family. This has a positive impact on the community, and ultimately, the nation.

Wildlife quiz competition

Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) led Day Six of Wildlife Week with a wildlife quiz competition for children.

Mr. Bhattarai points out the importance of children to wildlife conservation.

Children are the future, and the responsibility of conservation will also go to them. It is of utmost need to educate the new generation to give ocntinuity of today’s successful conservation methods, and empower them to develop new approaches in the future.

All of the schools that participated in the quiz competition were awarded a rhino statue.

Financial support for the quiz competition was provided by Saving Rhinos and the Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation (farmland Bird Conservation Programme).

The importance of tourism

Wildlife Week wrapped up with the designation of 2011 as “Tourism Year” by the Nepalese government.

Tourism is one of Nepal’s major income generation sources, thanks to the country’s extraordinary wildlife. In recognition of the importance of its rich biodiversity, a Tourism Year recognition ceremony was held at the Mirgakunja User Committee hall on the final day of Wildlife Week.

Public awareness

Throughout Wildlife Week, daily reports of all activities were published in local newspapers and broadcasted on the radio.

By publicizing the week’s events, even people who did not attend the activities could consider ways to celebrate Nepal’s natural gifts during Wildlife Week.

Mr. Bhattarai summed up the week as a success.

All of the Wildlife Week 2068 events were successfully done. The participation of every concerned user group and committee was praiseworthy.

Rhinos in Nepal

Last month, Nepal’s national rhino census was conducted, and it was found that the population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534 – an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Unfortunately, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

Sources and photos: Deepa Paudel, Suman Bhattarai, Uttam Sharma (Luitel); Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal)

Photo #1 courtesy of Suman Bhattarai, PARC/Nepal

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Exciting news about rhinos in Nepal!

It’s official: Nepal’s population of greater one-horned rhinos has increased to 534. The census was conducted earlier this month, and revealed an increase of 99 rhinos since the last count in 2008.

Chitwan National Park was found to have 503 rhinos, while 24 reside in Bardia National Park, and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve holds seven of the precious pachyderms.

Reporters from The Himalayan who attended a press conference held at Chitwan National Park said that Dr. Shanta Raj Jnawali (National Trust for Nature Conservation) praised the country’s improved efforts to protect rhinos and manage their habitat.

The census was conducted by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, with the technical and financial support from the National Trust for Nature Conservation and WWF-Nepal. A team of 50 elephants and 170 people carried out the Chitwan National Park rhino count, and 15 elephants and 30 people tallied rhinos in Bardia National Park.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes the new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Rhino horn traders arrested

So far this month, three rhino horn traders and a well-known rhino poacher were arrested by Nepalese authorities.

The suspects were handed over to Nepal’s forest department, which has a track record of administering tough penalties for rhino crimes.

In May 2010, Chitwan National Park officials handed out prison sentences to 16 rhino poachers. Three received ten years in jail, one received 14 years, and the remaining twelve will spend 15 years in prison.

Notorious rhino killing gang arrested

Five people suspected of killing at least six – and possibly seven – rhinos over the past year in Chitwan National Park were arrested in February.

Also in February, a rhino killer was shot dead by a joint patrol team of Bardia National Park and the Nepal Army after the poachers opened fire on the patrol unit.

Nepal has already lost one rhino to the illegal rhino horn trade in 2011. The tragedy occurred during the first week of January in Chitwan National Park.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

How to help

To learn more about our efforts to help support public awareness activities in Nepal, check out Update from Nepal: A Successful Year of Raising Public Awareness About Rhino Conservation.

We appreciate your help in educating others through sharing our articles, and for your continued support through rhino t-shirt sales.

Photo courtesy of Suman Bhattarai, Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal)

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.