Trans-boundary rhino conservation challenges and opportunities between India and Nepal

               Trans-boundary rhino conservation challenges and opportunities between                         India and Nepal

                                Dr Bibab Talukadar and Dr Satya Priya Sinha

                                                             

Currently the Greater One-Horned Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found in India and Nepal. The rhino habitats and population in Indo-Nepal trans-border need scientific monitoring in order to manage the trans-boundary rhinos with regular data collection on the movement pattern, management and sharing the data across the border to concerned conservation and management agencies to monitor the population and corridors used by the rhinos especially in Sukla Phata -Lagga Bagga, Pilibhit Forest Division., Dudhwa, Katarniaghat and Bardia landscape. The need to put radio collar in rhino population moving around India-Nepal border in Katarniaghat-Bardia and Lagga Bagga-Suklaphanta is needed to generate key information to assist conservation and management in Indo-Nepal border to strengthen trans-boundary planning and conservation for greater one horned rhinos.

Key word: Rhino, transboundary, conservation, threats, strategies

 

INTRODUCTION

The greater one horned rhino has been down listed in 2008, IUCN red lists from Endangered to Vulnerable due to overall increase of greater one horned numbers in its distribution range within India and Nepal. India and Nepal is the last remaining stronghold of the species and both the countries share rhino habitats across the border that seconds the need for transboundary conservation planning to further enhance rhino conservation. International conservation organisations are increasingly advocating for large scale initiatives that supersede national political borders in terms of wildlife conservation. Alternatively known as transfrontier biosphere reserves (UNESCO, 1996; Fall, 1999), transfrontier or transboundary conservation areas (Westling, 1998; Magome and Murombedzi, 2003; Wolmer, 2003, Specely,2006; Ramutsindela, 2007)or Peace Parks (Duffy,1997; Godwin,2001; Ali,2007), these protected areas represent a compelling approach to natural resource management that simultaneously raise a host of political, social and ecological challenges. Landscape approach allows a better ecosystem integrity and stability within trans-boundary conservation initiative while recognising the intrinsic importance of the human being within the landscape. It requires the identification and protection of ecological processes associated with ecosystems and focal species.

The terai is one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, encompassing the tall grasslands and Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of the southern slopes and foothill valleys of the eastern Himalayas. This biologically diverse landscape spans as area of approximately 12.3 million acres (5 million hectares) from Nepal’s Baghmati River in the east to India’s Yamuna River in the west. The Terai is home of endangered wildlife such as the tiger, Greater One-horned rhino, Asian elephant, sloth bear, gaur and Gangetic river dolphin and also contains vital migratory and breeding habitat for over 500 bird species.

In fact, the Terai landscape is one of the last few places in the world where rhino, elephants and tigers coexist and offers exciting and urgent need for conservation. This landscape contains Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS) priority populations of Greater Indian One horned Rhinos and Elephants. The terai landscape area supports the second largest population of Greater One-horned rhinos in the world along with three reintroduced

 According to Pradhan (2006), on a landscape approach in conserving large mammals and suggested that most PA.s are not big enough to sustain viable population and small number of the population can be high vulnerable to the environment and demographic stochasticity. Most of the large mammals of the western terai are isolated small in number and restricted to these PA’s due to degradation and fragmentation of the habitat outside the PA’s.

 Key Corridors for rhino movement

 Katarniaghat - Bardia Corridor:

 The Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the Indo-Nepal border in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh..  It represents the Terai-Bhabhar Bio-Geographic Sub-Division of Upper Gangetic Plains.  Owing to great vegetation diversity the area is a mosaic of diverse habitat.  The most interesting feature of the Sanctuary is the occurrence of Greater Indian one horned Rhino.The main corridor is Khata corridor between Bardia and Katarniaghat are along the Girwa River.  The rhino entry takes place through this route only.  They generally enter in Katerniaghat WLS from this route either near Dhanora Tal area, slightly southeast of river Girwa or near Ambia Bardia village.  Sometimes rhino also enter near Maila nala area, on the north to river Girwa travelling through this route only.  Elephants and tiger also use the same route while coming from Royal Bardia.  From this route entry takes place in block 2B, 6B and 6A area of Katerniaghat range on the eastern boundary.

The second corridor link is through Kauriala River on the northern tip of the sanctuary.  But this corridor is not in use by Rhino.  Even elephant does not use it frequently.  This corridor is completely open at several places and is under encroachment. The corridor along the Girwa River is still a viable corridor and it needs attention for habitat improvement. The forest along this corridor (corridor-G) is very narrow sometimes only 1.5 to 2 km wide.  The vegetation in this corridor is of Sal, mixed forest and riverine forest.  As this corridor forest is linked with Bardia and KWLS, it is a shelter of various types of ungulates.  There are various types of human pressure along the corridor.  The forest towards the Nepal side has been cleared by the people and converted in to the cultivation land.  The settlers in the trans- border has completely destroyed the forest at almost all places along the border.  Large number of human habitations is there in corridor areas.  Livestock grazing, encroachments are the major threat to the corridor.  Among the other threats, illegal timber cutting, firewood collection, fodder extraction are important. The second corridor along the Kauriala river is in more degraded condition.  The other problem with this corridor is that to follow this route the rhino has to cross the Girwa River in the Royal Bardia and they have to also cross the open croplands.  That's why they do not take risk and they do not come easily. The agriculture is the main land-use in the corridor area.  Paddy is the major crop of the area.  The other crops are wheat, maize, mustered etc. Currently three rhinos were sighted in Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary — a male, a female and a sub-adult which have moved from Nepal through Khata corridor.

Sukla Phanta- Lagga Bagga-Pilibhit forest - Dudhwa Corridor:

 According to Jhala et .al. (2011), report on status of tigers and co- predators, the forest area in the Uttar Pradesh State is Pilibhit Forest which is connected to the Corbett Tiger Reserve in the North-West by the Surai Range falls in Haldwani Forest Division and to Sukla Phanta in Nepal to the North-East via forests of Lagga Bagga. It forms a continuous narrow corridor along the Sharda Canal that stretches South-East into Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary. This corridor is well used by the tigers forming a contiguous population from Surai Range in Uttarakhand to Pilibhit and Kishanpur. However the narrow Pilibhit corridor is a bottle neck as dense agriculture and human settlements line its borders. The Sharda River forms a minor corridor since it is lined by intensive agricultural activities; it is used by tigers and elephants and recently by reintroduced rhinos between Dudhwa-Kishanpur-Pilibhit forest -Lagga Bagga and Sukla Phanta. Six rhinos of Royal Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal recently moved to Lagga Bagga area in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit forest (Karki Personal Communication).

Dudhwa- Katarniaghat and Basanta Forest to Bardiya Corridor

The corridor between Dudhwa National Park and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary has been disrupted due to continuous biotic pressure and human settlements. The situation of corridor between Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Royal Bardia National Park is more or less similar. In the past corridors were safer passages for animals while movement from one place to other (Sinha and Singh, 1999). Records on the regular movements of tiger, elephant and rhino from Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary to Dudhwa National Park are limited. Forest patches of northern corridor of North Nighasan forest range are very close to Dudhwa NP hence evidence of Elephant, Tiger, Chital, Wild boar, Nilgai, Hog deer were widely distributed in these areas. Animals do keep on moving from Dudhwa NP to these areas and vice versa (Sinha, Bitapi and Qamar, 2010). Since northern corridor lying along the Nepal border and on the Nepal side also have forest so large animal do keep on moving on either side.  The movement of elephants and rhinos takes place between Royal Bardia National Park and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, which is restricted to certain areas. In such situation, revival of corridors is very important for survival of these three isolated wild animal population including rhinos, tiger and elephant.

Another possible corridor between Dudhwa NP/TR through the forest patches of Basanta forest in Nepal adjacent to Bela Persua area falls in Dudhwa NP and very close to Badhi-Taal, a proposed rhino area situated on the northern part of the Dudhwa NP. In 1996, an adult female rhino reached Dudhwa rhino area through the Basanta forest area from Bardiya NP, Nepal came inside the rhino area was attacked by the resident rhino and was killed.

One sub-adult rhino from Nepal came to Lakhimpur Kheri area than to Sitapur area through the sugar cane field. This animal was captured by expert, veterinary official from West Bengal and forest officials and staffs of Dudhwa NP near NH-24 on 2^nd November, 2004, but to faulty cage the rhino had to be released by considering the pulse rate and heart beat. Same animal was reached to Moradabad area on 2 Jan, 2005 and successfully darted by a team of expert assisting forest staffs and captured and send to Kanpur zoo. This animal had travelled through the man made corridor which is sugar cane field.

 

Small Population Issue:

 Currently Dudhwa NP, Bardiya NP and Sukla Phanta have the reintroduced rhino population. In Dudhwa NP rhino are confined inside the fence and because of this restricted in area of 27 sq kms with 29 rhinos while two to other rhino population namely in Bardiya NP with 24 rhinos and Sukla Phanta with 7 rhinos are free ranging. Once the animal is reintroduced in open area it move around and explore the neighbouring areas in search of better habitat, abundant food, shelter, water, a safe and remote by avoiding the other individual. During this animal crosses the man made international boundary which is not applicable to the wild animals.

The main issue is the population size and its safety. Considering the rhino population in Dudhwa NP which is reached 30 rhinos included the founder individual of one male and four females (Three from Royal Chitwan NP, Nepal and one from Pobitora WLS, Assam). On 27 November, 2011, an adult male rhino of second generation was found dead and horn was removed and later recovered in Dhangarhi, Nepal. Case is still under investigation to find out the cause of death. Another adult female of founder generation translocated from Nepal in 1985,is badly injured is under treatment.

Current situation with the Dudhwa Rhinos:

 1. Over population by considering the total area and forage area which becomes very limited and other areas is degraded by the over flooding of river Suheli. Palatable grasses preferred by rhinos are now turning into unpalatable on due to over flooding and submergence of the area.

2. Rhinos are confined into an electric fence of 27 sq km which is too small for 29 rhinos.

3. How long these rhino will be kept in fenced area? Till than same of the rhinos are to be translocated in the proposed rhino area in Bhadhi Taal. A detailed project proposal is submitted to Uttar Pradesh forest Department and Ministry Of Forest and Environment, New Delhi in 2005.

4. Single male dominancy till males born in Dudhwa and attained the age of ten years. This shows that up to the third generation of female’s single male matted with all the females because female rhino attained the sexual maturity earlier than the males.

 Current situation with the Sukla Phanta Rhinos:

1. The current rhino population in Sukla Phanta is 7 rhinos and they usually move towards Lagga Bagga which falls in Pilibhit forest division. One of the adult male was sighted near Haldwani forest division and had stayed in farmland in sugar cane field for a longer period and later gone back.

2. Probably the habitat condition may not be suitable for the rhinos by considering the terrain condition and availability of water and forage availability in all seasons because area falls in Terai-Bhabar zone.

3. Movement of rhinos in Lagga Bagga area and further in Pilibhit forest division by considering the current situation around due to settlements and crop fields. People around will not in the favour of wild animals take shelter in the crop field and will increase the man-animal conflict and finally animal get killed.

4. Long back before the translocation of rhino from Bardia to Sukla Phanta took place. One adult male rhino was sighted in Sukla Phanta and nobody knew from where it came. Probably from Bardia NP, male rhino must have reached there.

5. Unless until a joint research and monitoring of rhino project is not carried with first hand information on the movement pattern and cause of seasonal movement are not traced out. To reach to any conclusion is not advisable.

6. Since rhinos coming to Lagga Bagga and Pilibhit forest are susceptible to get injured or get killed because large number villagers surrounded the forest area and movement of local people, grazing of livestock. Rhinos are chased and harassed by the local people and in retaliation rhino attack the people and on many occasion people get killed especially when female rhino with calf.

7. By considering the situation rhino should be kept in the electrically fenced area for their safety.

 Current situation with the Bardia-Katarniaghat Rhinos:

 rrent rhino population in Bardiya NP is 24 rhinos in according to 2008 census. In the past number of rhinos were get poached. In 1991, three rhinos comprising one female with calf and male were sighted in Katarniaghat WLS and now a day 4-5 rhinos were reported. These rhinos after stopover of sometime move back to Bardia and few of them stay for longer duration. There is urgent need to monitor the movement pattern, habitat use and locations of movements by using satellite radio collar under joint monitoring programme.

 Conservation Priorities:

1. Lagga Bagga should be declared as protected forest or Wildlife Sanctuary by considering its location and importance.

2. Efforts should be made in forming better coordination and cooperation in trans-boundary issues and exchange of information’s.

3. Joint research project should be carried to track the radio collard rhinos on the both the side to see the movement pattern and habitat conditions of that particular areas where rhinos moves.

4. All the rhino should be radio collard if possible or tagged with ID mark.

5. At official level regular meeting in both the side and time to time involve senior officers of paramilitary forces and custom department working in both the side to have a better coordination and will help to get the field based information’s on rhinos and also help in anti-poaching operations.

                                         (Source: Terai Arch report of WWF-India)