Between February 1 and 4, Chitwan National Park (CNP) completed the internal translocation of four rhinos (1 male and 3 female).
Translocation was done from the western sector of the park, which has high density rhino population, to the less dense eastern sector.
This is to ensure rhino population management in CNP by maintaining genetic diversity, preventing risk of disease outbreaks and fatalities caused by infighting and excessive competition for resources, including mitigating risks from natural disasters like floods.
Lately, higher population densities in the western parts of CNP, particularly in Sukhibhar and Kasara, has led to increased incidences of rhinos encroaching upon villages and damaging agricultural produce, thus disturbing human-wildlife coexistence.
The current operation follows the biological management strategy to secure healthy rhino populations, which is in line with the rhino conservation action plan (2024-2035).
Under this, biological management involves monitoring rhino populations at a meta-population scale rather than focusing solely on individual populations, with the objective of achieving demographic and genetic goals at organizational, national, regional, or subspecies levels.
As part of this strategy, last year, six rhinos were similarly translocated.
The translocated rhinos will be monitored through individual-based tracking systems to ensure their adaptation and well-being in the new environment. NTNC’s ongoing grassland management efforts in the eastern sector over the past four to five years are expected to support the successful integration of these rhinos into their new habitat.
