Rhino Translocation
Numbers in Chitwan National Park increased from its lowest number of 100 animals in the late 1960s to 544 in 2000. This has allowed the translocation of rhinos out of Chitwan to populate the other two National Parks between 1986 and 2003.
This was an essential step to reduce the threat to survival with only one population. It was a timely initiative as social and political instability led to another surge in poaching in the first few years of the 21st Century. Although there have been hundreds of deaths the 3 populations remain and this shows the resilience from this approach to management.
This metapopulation management will need to be continued most probably forever and new sights for establishment of new rhino populations are being explored.
