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.