More than 730 days have passed since a rhino was last killed in Nepal. We explore the secrets of the country that has become a model for the entire world.
In Africa and Asia, the five surviving species of rhino, descendants of the more than thirty species that lived on Earth over sixty million years ago, are in grave danger and could become extinct in less than thirty years. These ancient creatures are threatened above all by poaching, hunted for their horn, which has reached exorbitant prices on the black market. While new and extreme solutions are being explored in Africa to protect these animals, there is one haven where rhinos are now safe: Nepal.
For two years now, in the small Himalayan country, no rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) has been killed by poachers — the last specimen to be shot dead dates back to 2 May 2014. The small mountain state nestled between China and India has achieved the incredible milestone of "zero poaching". This is the first time Nepal has met the zero-poaching target for two consecutive years, and the rhino population now stands at 645 individuals, the highest number ever recorded in the country. We explore how Nepal managed to achieve this extraordinary milestone where so many other countries have failed.
"This exceptional success is built on strong political will and the active involvement of park authorities, the Nepali army and police, environmental organisations and local communities," explained Krishna P. Acharya, spokesperson for Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation.
The decline in wildlife crime is a credit not only to institutions but also to local communities, which have been entrusted with the management of around one third of the country's forests, helping to reduce poverty and safeguard biodiversity. Empowering residents and involving them in the protection of natural resources is an indispensable step in combating poaching. In addition, 50 per cent of the revenue generated by national parks is invested in community development activities, such as the construction of schools and infrastructure, indirectly supporting wildlife conservation.
Nepal has stepped up protection both inside national parks and in surrounding areas, using both traditional methods and new approaches — for example by employing Smart, an acronym for Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool, an instrument that enables, among other things, spatial monitoring of wildlife, data collection and management, and activity planning.
Nepal's conservation success is built on six fundamental pillars: assessment, capacity, community, cooperation, judicial action and technology. The authorities responsible for protected areas can now draw on the Zero Poaching Kit, which contains the best tools available in the field of anti-poaching.
"Nepal has achieved exceptional results in creating a zero-poaching model that can be scaled up across Asia and to other parts of the world," declared Sharad Chandra Paudel, Nepal's Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation. Now all that remains is to follow the path set by this small country nestled among the mountains.