Bardia National Park sees sharp decline in rhino, tiger pupulations

June 1, 2006
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A report publicised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal has shown sharp decline in tiger and rhino populations in the Bardiya National Park due to poaching that went unabated during the Maoist conflict in the last few years.

An survey conducted by the Bardiya National Park officials with support by the WWF between May 21-24 in the Babai Valley, which earlier was almost inaccessible due to the conflict, found “alarming between signs of decline in rhino and possibly tiger numbers too indicating widespread poaching,” the WWF said Wednesday.

A 40-member team led by the national park officials, which also comprised of Dr Tirtha Man Maskey, co-chair of the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group, and a research officer from WWF Nepal carried out the survey that traced the evidence of only three rhinos in the park, which is one of the most favourable rhino habitats in the southern part of the Valley. Since 1986, 83 rhinos have been translocated to Bardia, of which 72 were released in the Babai floodplain.

The survey team caught two persons, one each from two different groups of poachers – each gang comprising more than 10 persons – armed with locally made muzzle guns while four weapons and a huge cache of ammunitions were seized along with more than 300 kgs of smoked Sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, and four-horned antelope meat, all important prey species of the tiger, and other carnivores, according to the WWF.

This could have serious implications for the tiger population in Bardia National Park. In addition, all the guard posts inside the Babai Valley were destroyed during the conflict, the WWF said.

Thirteen tigers were reported in the Babai Valley between 1998 and 2001 and the team traced the signs of only three tigers during survey. Fewer than estimated tigers were confirmed in a preliminary ‘camera trap survey’ in the Karnali floodplain of Bardia National Park. The camera trap survey was started in January this year and of a recorded tiger population of 18 in 2000-01, only tigers were camera-trapped in the national park and two in the Khata corridor, the WWF said.

Khata is an important wildlife corridor between Bardia in Nepal and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in India.

With support from the WWF, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, supported by WWF, has already initiated some measures aimed at conservation of tigers and rhinos joint patrols by the park staff and protection unit have been planned focusing on areas not covered by the first sweeping operation and the buffer zone to verify the findings. The continuing community-based operations are also being mobilised to keep poachers at bay.

Following the depressing survey report, a high-level government mission has been dispatched by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation on Wednesday to five regions including Bardia to study the situation.

In areas where the conflict had less impact on conservation work, rhino and tiger populations are stable are growing, according to WWF. A survey carried out in August 2005 found that the 11 rhinos released in 1986 in the Karnali River floodplain, also within Bardia National Park, had increased to more than 30. Tiger presence has been recorded in the Khata corridor. The population of rhinos in the nearby Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve is seven and none have been lost to poaching since the translocation in 2000 and there has been an increase of three and ongoing tiger monitoring at Shuklaphanta estimates the population to be around 27 adult breeding tigers.

Expressing grave concern over the decline in the rhino and tiger populations, the WWF Nepal has called for enactment of an immediate short and long-term plans for action on the ground.

Says the WWF country representatives, Dr Chandra Gurung, “The Babai case clearly shows the impact of conflict on conservation and WWF is ready to increase its support in the efforts to address this threat. We call upon all stakeholders to join hands at this critical juncture.”