Chitwan National Park made significant strides in its fight against wildlife poaching last fiscal year by arresting 34 individuals accused of poaching the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. This is the largest number of arrests related to poaching in a single year for the park.
In addition to the rhino poaching cases, the park also apprehended six individuals involved in the illegal trade of pangolin scales. Notably, authorities successfully captured suspects responsible for killing two rhinos by trapping them in pits within just nine days of the incident. This swift action highlights the park’s ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal wildlife activities.
The efforts of Chitwan National Park’s officials were recognized by the Janau Basanta Raj Mishra Foundation, which awarded the park’s Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Purja Pun, Conservation Officer Dibesh Shrestha, and staff member Prem Sharma from the Gharial Breeding Center with a cash prize of NPR 300,000. The foundation honored them with the Environmental Conservation Award for their crucial role in protecting the park’s wildlife.
Chief Conservation Officer Pun expressed pride in the accomplishments of the past year, emphasizing the successful arrest of 34 poachers and the rapid capture of those involved in the rhino killings. He credited the collaborative efforts of the park administration, the Nepal Army, and the local communities living in the buffer zones for their success in controlling poaching activities.
Chitwan National Park is renowned for its population of the rare one-horned rhinoceros and Bengal tigers. Chief Conservation Officer Pun highlighted the park’s commitment to wildlife conservation and maintaining strong relationships with the buffer zone communities, which are integral to the park’s conservation efforts.
The park is also home to the Gharial Breeding Center, where eggs collected from the banks of the Rapti and Narayani rivers are hatched and the young gharials are raised before being released back into the rivers. Chitwan National Park is recognized as one of Nepal’s most important protected areas and is a key destination for tourists, particularly those interested in wildlife safaris.
