Managing wildlife

The rhino population can show better growth if their habitat is less congested.

The latest nationwide rhino census reveals that the population of the endangered one-horned species in Nepal now stands at 752, up from the 645 last counted in 2015. As per the latest findings, Chitwan National Park alone accounts for an increase of 89 rhinos. The enumerators found a further 38 rhinos in Bardiya, 17 in Shuklaphanta National Park and three in Parsa National Park. The rhino population, which has increased by 107 in a gap of six years, indicates that our conservation effort is on the right track. However, much remains to be done to ensure that the species can thrive in their natural habitat.