Rhino census from March next year

Rhino census is being conducted from the March of next year, said chief of Tiger and Rhino Conservation, Nepal Nature Conservation Fund, Ram Chandra Nepal. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation will conduct a new rhino census in March 2008 within three years of the previous head count, even though the census used to be carried out in every five years. 

The rhino census will be conducted with the extension of the help by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and a British organization.
The number of rhinos was 544 at CNP in 2000 that plunged to 372 in 2005. The latest statistics says poachers killed 94 rhinos and 66 rhinos died of natural causes within the five years. 

Meanwhile, the biggest elephant of the Asia known as 'Rajagaj' (king of the elephants) inhabiting in Bardiya National Park has been disappearing for last 28 months. No concerned authorities have taken initiative to find whereabouts of Rajgaj (11'70), one of the assets of Bardiya national park. 

Significant numbers of tourists used to visit the park to see Rajgaj. A record of the central office of the national park shows around hundred tourists used to visit national park monthly to see Rajgaj and for their research. 

Ranger Ramesh Thapa said it is still to be confirmed whether or not the Rajgaj is alive. According to him, none of park office staffs have seen Rajgaj since August 2005.

Ranger Thapa said smugglers were active in illegal hunting of the elephants and Rajgaj might have been hunted by them. Area the elephants have been dwelling includes around 68 square kilometer. Around eight hundred security men and two hundred staffs of the national parks are ignorant about the missing elephant. More than eighty elephants are expected to have been dwelling inside the parks.