Nepal’s rhino translocation looks good in numbers, but not so much in habitat – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Nepal launched its rhino relocation program decades ago to build a second stronghold for the greater one-horned rhinoceros outside Chitwan National Park. Bardiya National Park in the country’s far west now supports 38 animals, a clear numerical gain from the empty landscape that existed there before the 1980s. Yet recent tracking data show the animals are traveling well beyond their original release sites, raising questions about whether the habitat can sustain them long term.
Early Moves That Expanded the Range
Conservation teams first shifted a small number of rhinos from Chitwan to Bardiya and Shuklaphanta national parks in the late 1980s. The goal was straightforward: reduce the risk of losing the entire population to a single disaster such as disease or flooding. Over the following decades the western parks slowly gained animals, and Bardiya in particular became a focal point for further translocations. In 2016 and 2017 another eight rhinos arrived from Chitwan. Researchers fitted GPS collars on five of them to monitor how the newcomers settled into two main areas: the Babai Valley and the banks of the Karnali River. The collars quickly showed that the rhinos were not staying put.
Tracking Data Expose Wider Movements
The collared animals covered far larger areas than expected. Limited grassland, broken stretches of riverine forest, and seasonal shortages of water and fresh forage pushed them to keep moving. Flood damage had already degraded parts of the valley, further reducing the quality of available habitat. The study concluded that these conditions forced the rhinos to range more widely in search of food and water. Without enough suitable space in one place, the small population in Babai Valley faces real limits on long-term survival.
Key Pressures on the Landscape
Several overlapping factors shape the current situation in Bardiya: – Scarcity of open grassland that rhinos prefer for grazing.
– Fragmented riverine forests that no longer provide continuous cover or browse.
– Seasonal drying of water sources that forces animals to travel farther.
– Repeated flood damage that removes vegetation and alters the terrain. These pressures combine to make the valley less reliable than planners had hoped when the translocations began.
What Comes Next for the Population
The researchers noted that Babai Valley alone may not support a self-sustaining group without deliberate action. Options discussed include restoring grassland and forest patches, adding more rhinos to strengthen numbers, or moving some animals to sites with better conditions. Each step carries its own logistical and ecological considerations. For now the 38 rhinos represent both progress and a reminder that moving animals is only the first part of building a resilient population. Continued monitoring and habitat work will determine whether the western parks can truly serve as a lasting second home for Nepal’s rhinos.
