Poaching cases in Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP) have reached an all-time high ever since political instability plagued the country. In the absence of strong anti-poaching action, the park will lose much of the endangered wild life species it boasts of, warn concerned sources.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.BARDIYA, June 17 : Poaching cases in Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP) have reached an all-time high ever since political instability plagued the country. In the absence of strong anti-poaching action, the park will lose much of the endangered wild life species it boasts of, warn concerned sources.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.BARDIYA, June 17 : Poaching cases in Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP) have reached an all-time high ever since political instability plagued the country. In the absence of strong anti-poaching action, the park will lose much of the endangered wild life species it boasts of, warn concerned sources.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.BARDIYA, June 17 : Poaching cases in Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP) have reached an all-time high ever since political instability plagued the country. In the absence of strong anti-poaching action, the park will lose much of the endangered wild life species it boasts of, warn concerned sources.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.BARDIYA, June 17 : Poaching cases in Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP) have reached an all-time high ever since political instability plagued the country. In the absence of strong anti-poaching action, the park will lose much of the endangered wild life species it boasts of, warn concerned sources.
Within a two-month period, 10 one-horned rhinos have been killed inside the park by poachers, who are also very active in smuggling out other endangered animals, including Royal Bengal Tigers, according to sources at the park.
Encroachment inside the park together with poaching of its species started after the eight security posts inside the park were removed during the period of the insurgency. The posts, being manned by Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel, were left unattended when the soldiers were deployed elsewhere to combat Maoist insurgency, said Gopal Prasad Upadhyaya, Chief Conservation Officer of the park.
"Though the RNA personnel have returned to barracks, the removed security posts in the park have not been re-activated yet," said Upadhyaya. "Not only poaching, even encroachment of the park area is on the rise," he added.
Terming the poaching in the park as ‘alarming’, Dr. Shanta Raj Gyanwali, a rhino expert warned that the park would be devoid of any endangered species within two years, if poaching continues at the rate it is going on.
"We are aware of the rampant poaching going on in the park. Unfortunately, we can’t take anti-poaching steps unless directed by the concerned department or the ministry," said a senior official at the park requesting for anonymity.
