Reported end date passed· Health

Strengthening Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) Conservation in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Chitwan National Park (CNP) is the oldest National Park in Nepal and a World Heritage Site. It harbors the second largest source population of greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in the world and holds the largest population size in Nepal at 605 individuals (2015). In 2017, CNP experienced devastating floods which wiped away many wildlife from the park including rhinos and destroyed wildlife habitat. CNP and National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) successfully rescued 10 rhinos from Indian villages which were swept away by the flood and released nine rhinos to the wild and one infant rhino is under intensive care at wildlife hospital of NTNC. This project has been developed jointly by NTNC and CNP to carry out a total rhino count in the Chitwan valley and other rhino conservation activities as prioritized by Rhino Conservation Action Plan (2018-2022) of Nepal. Specific objectives of the project are: (1) Support Government of Nepal on national population survey of rhino; (2) Conduct DNA based individual profiling; (3) Habitat management for rhino; and, (4) ID based rhino monitoring.

Source-reported status: completed. Timeline labels use reported dates and do not verify current activity.