RID - 3292 ROTARACT CLUB OF RAJDHANI

Rhino:

Rhinos are found only in national parks and protected areas of Nepal and India. 

Habitat in Nepal:
1) Chitwan National Park in Nawalparasi and Chitwan District  (2^nd largest population)
2) Bardia National Park in Bardia District
3) Sukhlaphanta Wildlife Reserve in Kanchanpur District

Rhinoceros unicornis (One-horned rhino)

Total population present in Nepal only 435 (Source: UCN/SSC and TRAFFIC). On right-side image was taken at Chitwan National Park during a college tour.

Name origin:

Rhinoceros from the Greek rhino, meaning "nose" and ceros, meaning "horn" and unicornis from the Latin uni, meaning "one" and cornis, meaning "horn"

Distinguishing Characteristics: The rhino is grayish, with distinctive skin folds that make the rhino appear to be wearing plates of armor. They are hairless, except for eyelashes, ear tufts, and the tail tip. Also in common with other rhinos is a superb sense of hearing and keen sense of smell - but relatively poor eyesight. 

Size: Rhinoceros unicornis, along with the roughly equal-sized white rhino, is the largest species of land mammal after the elephant. Their weight ranges from 4000-6000 pounds, and stands from 5.75-6.5 feet high at the shoulder. End-to-end, the rhino can be 10-12.5 feet in length.

Activity: The rhino is fast and agile, running up to 25 mph for short distances and able to make sharp turns when necessary. They may spend 60% of their day in the water. They dive and feed under water; it is not uncommon to see just their snouts, eyes, and ears above the water.

Life span: One can live 30-45 years in the wild and the captive life span record is 47 years.

Conservation: Conservation of rhinos in Nepal has been a success story. In the late 1960s, their numbers had fallen to a mere 100. The situation wasn’t much better elsewhere: the world population of the species totaled to about 600 at those times.

How to help the species/ How to conserve?

1. National parks and wildlife conservation acts:

• Hunting is banned (other than hunting reserve)

• Trade in wildlife and its parts and derivatives is illegal

• Any person committing an offence shall be punishable

2. Regional and global cooperations:

• Transboundary meetings at national and local level

• Organizing global and regional workshops and meetings

• Building partnership/collaboration (such as rhino expert group meeting)

3. Anti-poaching activities:

• Co-operating with agencies involved in anti-poaching and supporting agencies for controlling illegal activities

4. Awareness among people:

• Publication of a conservation magazine to raise awareness among teachers, students, forest and buffer zone user groups

• Field trip for students

• Rhino and tiger conservation workshop, with an emphasis on anti-poaching training

• Poor people living around the Chitwan National Park are involved in rhino habitat destruction and poaching to generate money for livelihood. Without any alternative livelihood options, it is hard to create awareness amongst local people who are dependent on natural resources and wildlife hunting.

Rotaract Club of Rajdhani – RID 3292, NEPAL