Pic: wikipediaFrom the Nepali Press
Pitamber Sigdel in Annapurna Post, 9 March
The government has planned to relocate seven species of rare animals from different wildlife reserves to secure viable breeding populations and restore the numbers of the animals in the long term. The Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) kicked off the campaign last week by relocating an adult one-horned rhino from Chitwan National Park to Bardiya National Park.
In total, the government plans to move thirty rhinos in three years and says shifting the rhinos to Bardiya is the only way to achieve the target of having 800 rhinos across the country. Out of the 83 rhinos previously relocated there only 29 remain.
While people question whether relocating the rhinos is the right move, the government is currently ready to relocate swamp deer, wild water buffaloes, ghariyals, deer (including black bucks) and another rhino. Officials say the move will ensure that animals with larger populations don't inbreed among themselves, which would compromise their immunity levels.
"The relocation is to increase the population of the rhinos and ensure conservation," said Fadindra Kharel, Director General of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, which is working with donor agencies to transition the animals.
Plans are in the works to also bring 50 wild water buffaloes to Chitwan from Kosi Tappu wildlife reserve, which is the magic minimum number of any species to ensure its survival in the wild. "Wherever the animals are shifted, we'll shift only viable population," said Kharel.
Although there is a healthy population of wild water buffaloes in the Kosi Tappu reserve, cross breeding with the local buffaloes is common. Last year, the government culled a few wild buffaloes with the help of the army. And according to Diwakar Chapagain, Nepal Director of the WWF, the buffaloes are also being moved to sustain the ecosystem of the conserved area.
Other plans for relocation include moving black bucks from Khairapur, Bardiya to Shuklaphat and Chitwan, and according to joint secretary of MoFSC Maheshwor Dhakal, shifting deer from Pashupati and the ghariyals from the breeding center in Chitwan to various other locations.
Discussions are also underway to move red pandas to a viable locations. The government is also working with various organisations to research the number of snow leopards in the country.