Yes, we did it again, its third time that Nepal marked another 365 days of Zero poaching of rhinos. The country has been able to repeat this success in the period ending 2 May, 2015. The rhino count was conducted in Chitwan National Park, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Bardia National Park, Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and their buffer zones in the Terai Arc Landscape from 11 April-2 May. The count was led by the government?s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Department of Forests in collaboration with WWF Nepal and National Trust for Nature Conservation.

?The resounding success of Nepal achieving 365 days of zero poaching twice since 2011 is a positive sign for rhinos,? stated Tika Ram Adhikari, Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. ?We are hopeful that this year?s rhino count results reinforce Nepal?s commitment to protect its iconic species.?

And with the end of this rhino count as Tika sir stated it has ignitated the conservation path evenmore. This positive news comes amidst the nineth day since a massive earthquake shook Nepal, and it adds to the ray of hope, courage and resilience as people fight back to rebuild their lives, communities and the country at large. Nepal?s rhino population has increased by an encouraging 21% based on the rhino count data released by the Government of Nepal today. There are now presently 645 rhinos (Chitwan National Park - 605, Parsa Wildlife Reserve -3, Bardiya National Park- 29 and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve -8   as compared to the 2011 estimate of 534 rhinos in Nepal?s Terai Arc Landscape.

?Nepal has come a long way since its dark period in conservation where we lost 37 rhinos to poaching in a single year in 2002,? stated Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal. ?A growing rhino population over the years with strengthened protection and conservation efforts is indeed a testimony of collaborative working from the national to the grassroots level.?

The count was conducted using a sweep operation by mobilizing 40 trained observers (including wildlife biologists, technical staff from national parks and wildlife reserves, National Trust for Nature Conservation and WWF Nepal, together with representatives from the Nepal Army) and 34 elephants. The observers recorded individual rhino information together with GPS locations on data-sheets based on unique and special characteristics of each rhino such as shape and horn size, folds present on the neck and rump, and body markings. Chitwan-Parsa Complex (which includes Parsa Wildlife Reserve and Chitwan National Park and their buffer zone and community forests) was divided into 19 blocks with 10 camp sites for the count together with the complex, the rhino count was also conducted in Bardia National Park and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve which was expected to be complete in 25 days and it got completed and this good news was out today, it is declared that we managed to increase our mighty one horned rhino by 111 in number.