KATHMANDU — Authorities in Nepal say they’ll continue a translocation program to even out the distribution of rhinos in the popular Chitwan National Park, despite protests from tourism operators and concerns from conservationists. The greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) represents a conservation success story for Nepal — going from a low of around 100 in the 1960s to 752 as of the 2021 census, with 694 in Chitwan. But too many rhinos in the park’s western sector, popular with tourists, may be contributing to a current increase in mortality rates, prompting the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) to launch a program in March to move some rhinos to the eastern sector. An initial six rhinos have been translocated, and the plan is to move another four soon. But tourism operators in the western sector have protested the decision, saying it will hurt their business as tourists come to the area to see the animals. “We are aware of some reservations from local tourism entrepreneurs. But the translocation program will continue,” said Hari Bhadra Acharya, senior ecologist and information officer at the DNPWC. While not yet publishing the study that recommended carrying out translocations, the government has cited several reasons for doing so. A 2022 study looking at mortality cases found a significant decline in poaching deaths from 2008-2018, thanks to intensified community-based law enforcement measures. However, there was also a notable increment in non-poaching deaths during this period, including from individual rhinos fighting each other and from…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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