One-Horned Rhinoceros- Asset of Nepal

Rhinoceros unicornis is one-horned rhinoceros commonly found only in South Asia and South East Asia. Today, no more than 2,000 remain in the wild, with only two populations containing more than 100 rhinos: Kaziranga Nation al Park in Assam, India and Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal.

History of Rhino Conservation in Nepal

In Nepal, the rhino population was estimated at ca. 1,000 in the Chitwan valley until 1950. After 1950, Thousands of people came down from the mid-hills and large swathes of wildlife habitat was cleared for human settlements, agriculture and other development activities. This not only destroyed the forest but also affected the wildlife population. Some Rhinos were lost due to human such as poaching and some due to natural causes such as flooding, fighting, predation and age. This affected mainly rhinos and as a result, the rhino population dropped to less than 100.

Chitwan National Park (CNP) is the main habitat of Rhino. CNP was later extended to encompass a total area of 932 sq km and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984 for its high biological diversity.

After the successful effort of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), the declining rhino population began to gradually increase. The CNP demonstrated that the population can rebound vigorously when sufficient habitat and protection are provided. It is an example of a population that was almost on the verge of extinction that has recovered in huge extent while still maintaining a high genetic diversity.

Rhino- Center of Tourist attraction in Chitwan National Park

One horned Rhino is one of the most important assets of Nepal's diversified forest because Chitwan National Park has become popular worldwide as an important Tourist Destination due to tourists coming to view Rhino there.