Continuous political turmoil and the Government's controversial policy of pardoning poachers have dealt a deathblow to the success story Nepal once revelled in - the conservation of the endangered greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Unicornis).
Though Kaziranga National Park in Assam is best known for conserving the animal hunted down by poachers because of its horn, believed to have aphrodisiac qualities, Nepal's Chitwan National Park became another success story in 2000. Its rhino population increased to over 600 from less than 100 in the 1970s.
However, the ongoing turmoil in the kingdom has now hit the animals hard, resulting in their number dropping by over 30 per cent.
The latest casualty was reported Tuesday with the discovery of a dead rhino in the Udaypur community forest area in Chitwan district in southern Nepal. The slain rhino had been stripped of its hide, hooves and horn, media reports said Wednesday.
Some of the rhino habitats are in areas dominated by Maoists, who do not allow armed forest guards to venture there.
The discovery of the dead rhino on Tuesday near a Maoist stronghold also raises suspicion about possible collusion between the Maoists and poachers.
With Tuesday's toll, the number of rhinos falling to poachers' bullets goes up to 12 in six months.
The last rhino census, conducted in 2005, estimated there were 372 rhinos in the Chitwan National Park. Since then, at least 39 have died with only 10 succumbing to natural causes.
A conservationist puts the figure even higher, along with the warning that at this rate, Nepal may not have any rhinos alive.
Mangal Man Shakya, chairman of the Wildlife Watch Group, said at a recent conference that at least 47 rhinos had been killed in 2006.
"If rhino poaching continues at this rate, none will be left in Nepal in the next 10-20 years," Shakya said.
Perhaps the biggest encouragement to poachers comes from the Government itself. In September, the Seven-Party Alliance Government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala granted pardon to several criminals, who were released before their term. Among them were nine poachers, a decision that caused outcry among conservationists.
Soon after their release, some of the poachers are back in business. According to media reports, two of them were arrested in Chitwan last month. They were found to be carrying guns and other poaching paraphernalia.
IANS
