One Horned Rhino >> Threats

Manmade cause

The conversion of forestland into other land use has constricted and fragmented wildlife habitat eventually threatening the support system of many species. Reduction in rhino population is primarily ascribed to the disappearance of most of the alluvial plain grassland and massive poaching for its commercially valued horns. The hostile attitude of local people towards the park and routine entry of rhino into the adjacent village to destroy the crops is the main threat to rhino. Conflict between rhino and human for alluvial land, continuous poaching for horn as it is used in medicinal purpose and ornament (as it is widely believed that cups carved from rhino's horn could be used to detect poison).

In Yemen, rhino horns are in high demand for making dragger handles called ''jambias''. Rhinos body parts have been extensively used as homeopathic medicine and for research especially in China, Taiwan and Korea; this is regarded as a main cause of decline in rhino population has increased the loss.

In Nepal, unmanaged tourism is posing threat for rhino conservation in national parks of Nepal. Chitwan National Park and Bardiya National Park are more affected. Out of many, the major causes are (i) multiple entrance points to the park (ii) establishment of jungle lodges, their tented camps inside the protected areas (iii) indiscriminate and free tourist visit to the park areas (iv) fragmentation of wildlife habitat due to unmanaged day and night jungle safari (v) night stay at Machan Tower inside core park areas (vi) vehicle road for tourist and public inside park areas etc.

In the prime zone of rhino habitat, for example in Icharni Tapu and Beeshazari lake of Chitwan National, tourists have free and easy access to visit. Guides and 'Mahute' (elephant rider) used to penetrate the habitat, creates several paths inside prime habitat of wildlife to show rhinos and tigers.

Eight high standards jungle lodges are established inside the Chitwan National Park areas which is detrimental for the wildlife habitat and conservation.

Natural cause

Different climatic change, flooding, and evolution are also other threats for rhino. Due to flooding, rhinoceros habitat, floodplain grasslands are severely affected annually. Due to the change in climate, the plants succession and vegetation growth are disturbed. That reduces rhinos preferred food species.

Anthrax, the disease in wild boar and domestic animals which spreads through the blood or decaying tissues of infected warm blooded animals are dangerous for rhino. Large number of mortality in rhinos caused by the diseases named rinderpest. The disease spreads so fast that no sooner is one cow cured another succumbs. Another cause attributed to the mortality of rhino is a parasitic inedible plant called Micanea which has over grown in Kaziranga (India).

Wildlife conservation in Nepal was initiated with the major focus on the endangered species protection and protected areas were created basically to conserve endangered species like rhinos and tigers. The Buffer Zone of Chitwan National park, Bardiya National Park and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve have been declared. All these protected areas encompass rhino habitats and thus bufferzones will ultimately provide additional habitats to rhinoceros.