scholarly journals Threats to a small population: a census and conservation recommendations for wild buffalo Bubalus arnee in Nepal

Oryx ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 324-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel T. Heinen ◽  
Ramchandra Kandel

We censused wild buffalo Bubalus arnee in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal, in March 2004 using methods employed in earlier surveys, and estimated a population of 159 animals. Since the last census in 2000 the management situation has deteriorated. Guard posts have been evacuated due to the Maoist insurgency. The entire Army Battalion usually posted in the Reserve was at Headquarters at the time of this study and therefore there were no patrols over most of the Reserve, and much human encroachment. Mortality from flooding and road deaths, and possibly poaching for meat, were evident, and males suffered more mortality overall than females. Despite these threats the population had increased since 2000, albeit at a lower rate than previously. Active management, including interventions within the Reserve and a translocation of some individuals to Chitwan National Park, are recommended.

Oryx ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh Subedi ◽  
Shant Raj Jnawali ◽  
Maheshwar Dhakal ◽  
Narendra M.B. Pradhan ◽  
Babu Ram Lamichhane ◽  
...  

AbstractWe assessed the abundance and distribution of the greater one-horned or Indian rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in all its potential habitats in Nepal, using block counts. In April 2011 5,497 km were searched in 3,548 elephant-hours over 23 days. The validity of the block count was assessed by comparing it with counts obtained from long-term monitoring using photographic identification of individual rhinoceroses (ID-based), and estimates obtained by closed population sighting–mark–resighting in the 214 km2 of Chitwan National Park. A total of 534 rhinoceroses were found during the census, with 503 in Chitwan National Park (density 1 km−2), 24 in Bardia National Park (0.28 km−2) and seven in Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (0.1 km−2). In Chitwan 66% were adults, 12% subadults and 22% calves, with a female : male ratio of 1.24. The population estimate from sighting–mark–resighting was 72 (95% CI 71–78). The model with different detection probabilities for males and females had better support than the null model. In the Sauraha area of Chitwan estimates of the population obtained by block count (77) and ID-based monitoring (72) were within the 95% confidence interval of the estimate from sighting–mark–resighting. We recommend a country-wide block count for rhinoceroses every 3 years and annual ID-based monitoring in a sighting–mark–resighting framework within selected subpopulations. The sighting–mark–resighting technique provides the statistical rigour required for population estimates of the rhinoceros in Nepal and elsewhere.


Oryx ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanchan Thapa ◽  
Santosh Nepal ◽  
Gokarna Thapa ◽  
Shiv Raj Bhatta ◽  
Eric Wikramanayake

AbstractUntil the early 1980s the only surviving population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in Nepal was in Chitwan National Park. Between 1986 and 2003 87 rhinoceroses from Chitwan were translocated into Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the western terai region to establish founder populations and reduce the threat of local extinction from natural catastrophic events, disease and/or poaching. The founder populations increased in number through births but a rise in poaching during the period of civil strife in Nepal during 1996–2006 resulted in a dramatic decline in the populations, including in Chitwan. In 2001 the Terai Arc Landscape programme was initiated to connect 11 protected areas in Nepal and north-west India and facilitate dispersal of megafauna and manage them as metapopulations. Corridors that were restored under the programme and that connect Bardia and Suklaphanta with protected areas in India are now used by the greater one-horned rhinoceros. The successes and failures of the last 2 decades indicate that new paradigms for protecting rhinoceroses within and outside protected areas are needed, especially with reference to managing this species at a landscape scale.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 52-60
Author(s):  
Pramod Kumar Kherwar ◽  
◽  
Ajaya Bhattarai ◽  

Asian Wild Water Buffalo with the scientific name Bubalus bubalis arnee is recorded as an imperiled species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN's) Red List of Threatened Species wetland-subordinate. More number Wild Water Buffalo in Nepal are found at the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR), situated on the floodplain of the Koshi River in Province 1. This species is in danger because of a high anthropogenic pressing factor going from natural surroundings weakening to hybridization with homegrown Buffalo. Various preservation and work mediations have been attempted to shield the biodiversity, especially the wild buffalo populace in the KTWR. The people group-based supportable administration approach profiting both protection and work of neighborhood individuals is important to guarantee the drawn-out preservation of the species. But it is not happening, so the Government of Nepal translocated 18 Wild Water Buffaloes to Chitwan National Park, and the environment is not suitable for them. There is the possibility to translocate Wild Water Buffaloes in the Babai flood plain of Bardia National Park for conservation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 12451-12458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rama Mishra ◽  
Khadga Basnet ◽  
Rajan Amin ◽  
Babu Ram Lamichhane

The Fishing Cat is a highly specialized and threatened felid, and its status is poorly known in the Terai region of Nepal.  Systematic camera-trap surveys, comprising 868 camera-trap days in four survey blocks of 40km2 in Rapti, Reu and Narayani river floodplains of Chitwan National Park, were used to determine the distribution and habitat characteristics of this species.  A total of 19 photographs of five individual cats were recorded at three locations in six independent events.  Eleven camera-trap records obtained during surveys in 2010, 2012 and 2013 were used to map the species distribution inside Chitwan National Park and its buffer zone.  Habitat characteristics were described at six locations where cats were photographed.  The majority of records were obtained in tall grassland surrounding oxbow lakes and riverbanks.  Wetland shrinkage, prey (fish) depletion in natural wetlands and persecution threaten species persistence.  Wetland restoration, reducing human pressure and increasing fish densities in the wetlands, provision of compensation for loss from Fishing Cats and awareness programs should be conducted to ensure their survival.  We also recommend studying genetic diversity of sub-populations, as well as habitat use by radio-tagging. 


2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 402-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Thakur ◽  
C.R. Upreti ◽  
K. Jha

The Greater One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found almost exclusively in Nepal and North-Eastern India. There have beenonly a few studies made on the food and the nutrient compositions of fodder species preferred by The Greater One- horned Rhinoceros. Thepresent study identifies the nutrient content of the fodder species consumed by One-horned rhinoceros which would be helpful to develop proper strategies for rhinoceros food management. For this altogether 8 grass species which were most preferred by rhinoceros were collected from Chitwan National Park. Systematic sampling was applied for sample collection and collected samples were taken to the Animal Nutrition Laboratory, Khumaltar for nutrient analysis. Among all the collected species the highest OM% was seen in Faank (93.98 ± 0.88) while Ash% and CP% was found to be highest in Eragrastic Tenella (13.67 ± 2.92) and Phragmatic karka (11.94 ± 2.26) respectively. Lowest NDF% was again seen in Eragrastic tenella (76.76 ± 2.93) and lowest ADF% and ADL% were found in Mala dubo with mean values (43.50 ± 6.86) and (6.41 ± 2.16) respectively showing high digestibility of these grasses. There were only slight variation in the EE% of the grass species withhighest mean value of (3.702 ± 1.73) of Imperata cylindrical to lowest mean value of (1.722 ± 0.11) of Eragrastic tenella. Highest energy was found in Faank (4181.90 ±1.10) and Calcium content was seen highest in Cynodon dactylon (1.30 ± 0.83).DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i4.11119 Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 2(4): 402-408 


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-232
Author(s):  
Arup Kumar Hazarika ◽  
Unmilan Kalita

The conservation history of Kaziranga National Park has traversed many a path since it was first recognised as a ‘game sanctuary’ in 1916. The unique aesthetics and richness of its biodiversity, severely afflicted by natural and anthropogenic interventions now and then, has necessitated conservation of this wildlife reserve. An outcome of the conservation process pertains to disruptions in livelihood of the local communities, that have for generations, used the park’s natural resources and therefore, had become a part of its natural evolution. Hundreds of people have lost their livelihoods and violent confrontations have become a typical scene, with the communities being utterly left out of the conservation process. In this light, the present essay envisages discussing the centrality of community participation in the conservation of Kaziranga National Park vis-à-vis a conjugation of the conservation process and livelihood aspirations of the local people.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Parveen Kumar Jha

 This research paper gives checklist of common birds of Chitwan National Park, which is a wild-life protected area in south-central Nepal. It covers tropical and sub-tropical vegetation. It is first protected area and includes 932 sq. km. Common birds observed are about 170 belonging to 48 Avian families during 2013-2014. Present investigator has very minutely observed birds in habitat conditions. Bird species were recognized by very high binocular. Birds were thoroughly studied from point of view of Taxonomy. Machans were also erected for observing birds.


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