One-Horned Asian Rhino and Nepal's War on Poaching

A thousand days of zero rhino poaching in Chitwan National Park in Nepal demonstrates conservation works best when conservation communities are supported by governmental entities.

One-horned Asian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal (Photo by Antonio Cinotti)

Political turmoil in Nepal has made conservation policies impossible to implement for the last two decades so, for Nepal zero poaching of rhinos is no small achievement. Zero Poaching Framework  required collaboration between conservation partners—WWF Nepal, park officers and local communities as well as the commitment and leadership of governmental partners—the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Nepal’s army and Nepal’s police to employ six key integrative features: assessment, capacity, community, co-operation, prosecution and technology­­­­­. 

Between 1996 and 2006—during the Maoist insurgency, 200 rhinos were poached. In 2005, WWF Nepal counted 375 rhinos. Nepal adopted Zero Poaching Framework in 2011. The rhino population increased to 645 by 2016. According to the Nepali Times, only four rhinos have been killed by poachers since 2011. Now, the success of zero poaching of iconic rhino needs to be translated into a long term conservation of other species in Nepal. That means habitat protection and restoration must also be prioritized along with the continued efforts toward zero poaching.

Climate Change is Everyone's Concern

Imja Tsho glacial lake in the Everest region, Nepal (Image by NASA 2010)

While there may be a debate about whether climate change is real in the US political landscape, climate change is a reality for many living in the Nepal Himalaya. The draining of Imja Tsho glacial lake located at 5000m in the Everest region of Nepal is one such example. According to the BBC, the Nepal Army and local people with the financial support of United Nations dug an outlet to drain 4 million cubic meters of water from Imja lake that threatened to flood settlements, trails and bridges. Interestingly, Imja lake did not exist before 1960’s but by 2009 rapidly melting glacier due to increase in global temperature rise made it one of the most dangerous lakes in terms of glacial lake outburst floods.

Imja is only one among 1,600 glacial lakes that exists in Nepal and dozens of them are increasingly hazardous as the glaciers retreat. Ten have already burst causing loss of human lives and property in the surrounding vicinity.  On the other hand, temporary increase in flow of water from glacier melt coupled with reduced snowfall means that billions of people living downstream, from China to Vietnam, are going to be affected by the deficit of water in the long term as they depend on glacier fed rivers for agriculture and hydropower.

Nepal emits less than 0.15 percent of global greenhouse gas and is one of the lowest emitters in the world, yet it ranks in the top 4 most vulnerable countries at extreme risk of climate change catastrophe (Maplecroft climate change vulnerability index). Countries like Nepal are on the front lines of the climate change effects. We have to cope with front line climate change consequences and at the same time work in our localities and globally to mitigate the long term effect. Every bit counts. From recycling to supporting regenerative agriculture to creating environment for pedestrian and bicycle friendly cities to supporting organizations and policy makers that work in the arena of climate change. Now more than ever, when disinformation is so prevalent, we must remain vigilant and speak about dire consequences of climate change and support those already facing and fighting those consequences. Combating climate change is a moral issue, it is a human issue. We are all in it together.