Suman Bhattarai
Other projects
23 Sep 2008
Rhino Conservation through Livelihood Enhancement, Poor’s Education and Awareness Creation by Mobilizing Youth and Community Based Organization
11 Dec 2009
Conservation Based Networking and Library Establishment Project to Strengthen Rhino Conservation Program
28 Feb 2017
Rhino Movement outside the Protected Area: Habitat Suitability and People Perception for Long Term Conservation
The project will basically focus on capacity building of local communities to support conservation actions, anti-poaching, awareness programs on the involvement of youth, students and farmers.
Rhinoceros unicornis, one horned greater rhinoceros, is a threatened with extinction (CITES Appendix-1) and endangered (IUCN red data list) species found only in Asia, especially in India and Nepal. Though rhinoceros found in 3 protected areas of Nepal, Chitwan National Park is best and only one habitat for in-situ conservation. The attraction of rhinoceros has played significant role on local people's livelihood through tourism. But now, rhinoceros is in the verge of extinction due to several threats (mostly habitat destruction and poaching). If these threats increase continuously, there won't be rhinoceros in next five to ten years (Sharma-2006, Kantipur Nepali National daily-10th Dec 2006). Similarly, unsatisfactory relocation programme and poor awareness level had diverted people's perception against conservation. Though Rhinoceros and human beings are part of ecosystem, people are showing less attention on its conservation.
To minimize these threats in this critical situation, people participation is necessary because they can act as guard of rhinoceros. Rhinoceros is a part of ecosystem of Chitwan. But people don’t know, what will happen to human beings and ecosystem if rhinoceros is disappeared? Therefore, awareness creation and knowledge imparting programme is important to wake local people for conservation. So, this project aims:
-To create awareness amongst threats creature groups about the importance of rhinoceros conservation to protect park ecosystem
-To promote and strengthen community-based anti-poaching programme by encouraging youth's and student's activities.
The project will basically focus on capacity building of local communities to support conservation actions, anti-poaching, awareness programs on the involvement of youth, students and farmers. These programs help to change negative attitude of local communities and encourage them in reducing threats through their involvement. Conservation effort will not be meaningful with involvement of Youth and students because they are the future conservationist.
Website creation helps to share ideas and to appeal for support for future activities. Women group and local clubs oriented activities help to sustain conservation activities. Student and local teacher oriented program is fruitful to share ideas to future generation for long last.