Kathmandu, June 24
A three-member team from the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group has arrived in Nepal to take stock of the situation following a record number of deaths of greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park.
The delegation. led by the group’s chair Bhibab Kumar Talukdar, will visit rhino habitats in Chitwan, Bardia and Shuklaphanta to consult with local authorities and conservation officials, said Bishnu Shrestha, spokesperson for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
“The government invited the team to Nepal as we are conducting studies to assess the carrying capacity of the rhino habitats such as Chitwan National Park,” Shrestha added.
The visit comes as reports from Chitwan show that 40 rhinos have died in the 11 months of the current fiscal. While the deaths have been associated with the 2017 floods, scientists have also argued that Chitwan may have reached its limit when it comes to supporting a historically high rhino population.
“The team will prepare a report after visiting the national parks and provide input to the department, which aims to conduct a census of the rhinos next year,” he added.
