Jenny Cottle
Tigers, elephants and rhinos are critically endangered worldwide due to poaching. At times stopping the problem seems insurmountable as it is driven by greed, superstition and poverty, but Nepal has proved that poaching can be stopped! For a second year, Nepal has celebrated 365 days without a single poaching incident.
In wildlife terms, Nepal is a truly remarkable little country. This small landlocked country (not quite the size of Victoria, about 1/5th the size of Texas) is home to tigers, elephants, monkeys, rhinos, bears, deer, crocodiles, leopards, river dolphins and 867 species of birds.
At one time Chitwan National Park in Nepal was a favoured hunting ground of poachers, but thanks to sustained efforts in recent years Nepal is turning back this tide and conserving its rich wildlife heritage.
Many groups from rangers, to the Nepalese Army, to the Nepalese Police, to local community groups have been pooling information and resources to reduce wildlife crime. In one year alone, Nepali authorities nabbed 700 persons involved in poaching and trade of wild animals and recovered tiger bones, rhino horns, leopard skins and other animal products from their possession.
As part of their strategy, anti-poaching teams regularly use elephants to go deep inside the forest in search of poachers. The animals provide greater mobility in areas where there are few tracks or roads.
Tough penalties have also had an impact on poaching in Nepal. Around 150 poachers and their collaborators have been convicted and jailed in the last few years. Sentences ranged from five to 15 years. The chief warden of the parks even has quasi-judicial powers.
Due to poaching, rhino numbers in Chitwan National Park fell by over 60 per cent between 2000 and 2005, but numbers have increased to more than 500 since the anti-poaching efforts began.
The involvement of villagers living around the park in the conservation effort has been mutually beneficial. The villagers have received between 30-40% of tourism revenue from the park for development projects in their villages.
This amazing result shows what can be achieved when a whole country makes stopping wildlife crime a priority.
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