By Siraj Khan
Nepaljung, Jan. 11: The number of one-horned rhinos in Bardiya National Park (BNP) has increased significantly to 36 after the locals also helped in the conservation of endangered species, according to the park officials.
According to Bishnu Shrestha, Chief Conservation Officer of BNP, the number of rhinos has increased with the support from every sector including locals for a decade.
He said rhino poaching in the park has dropped to zero during the last decade. At present, it is zero, which has helped a lot in rhino conservation.
Shrestha said that locals have formed groups to control poaching. Children's clubs are operating. The locals have emphasised on conservation after tourists started coming to see the wildlife. From then on, the locals have started getting some economic benefits.
As the rhinos of the park keep coming to the Shiva Community Forest of Dalla village, many tourists have started coming to see the rhinos at Dalla Homestay. The presence of tourists in the park's hotels and homestays in nearby villages has started increasing again.
In 2008, the number of rhinos in BNP dropped to 22. The number had dropped sharply after more than a dozen rhinos were poached in the Babai Valley's Parewa cave. Currently, there are six rhinos in Parewa cave, according to the park.
According to the 2020 census, the number of rhinos has increased to 36. The National Nature Conservation Fund has stated that the number of rare rhinos in BNP is increasing.
Rhinos were transferred from Chitwan National Park to Bardiya National Park in 1986.
In 2000, the number of rhinos had reached 63. In 2005, it increased to 67. But two years later the number dropped by more than half. The number of rhinos dropped to 31 in 2007.
Since then, it dropped further down to 22 in 2008. But since 2011, the number of rhinos has gone up.
There were 24 rhinos at that time. In 2015, it reached 29 and now it has reached 36 in BNP.