Results released today by World Wildlife Fund of the first assessment done in two years in Bardia National Park reveals an alarming decline in tiger and rhino populations, indicating widespread poaching.

Field visits by WWF Nepal and park staff to sites inside the Bardia National Park – which have only become accessible since the ceasefire between Maoist insurgents and government troops came into force in late April – found evidence of three rhinos in the area, despite the translocation of more than 70 to the area since 1986.

“Given the probable growth rate over a period of 12 years, there should have been more than 100 rhinos in this area,” said WWF Nepal research officer Kanchan Thapa, who was part of the survey team. “This would be a viable population.”

"It became too dangerous to send staff to that area in 2004 when Maoist insurgents detained and assaulted four members of a rhino monitoring team. The recent ceasefire between the government of Nepal and the Maoists allowed us to enter the area and conduct a study of the wildlife for first time in two years," said Mingma Sherpa, director of the Eastern Himalayas Program at WWF. "The results are discouraging, but WWF will take advantage of a new climate of peace to revisit and revamp strategies for anti-poaching operations, forge new partnerships, and translate commitments into action."

The May 2006 assessment, done by a 40-member team on elephant back that included Bardia National Park staff, IUCN (the World Conservation Union) and WWF, also apprehended two poachers armed with locally made muzzle guns. Four weapons and a large cache of ammunition were seized along with more than 660 pounds of smoked Sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, and four-horned antelope -- all important prey species of tiger and other carnivores. Virtually all the guard posts inside the Babai valley were found to be destroyed by the Maoists.

The survey team also confirmed the presence of three tigers in the Babai Valley, down from an estimate of 13 in 2001.

Based on these recent developments, WWF immediately conducted emergency meetings with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the Nepal Army, who committed to conducting regular anti-poaching patrols in Bardia National Park before the monsoon rains begin. One new anti-poaching post will be established inside of Bardia as soon as possible, while arrangements are being made to create new anti-poaching posts around the entire Babai Valley.

"This is clearly a very disturbing situation, and one that needs urgent action. But with the strong commitments already made by the Nepal government and given the new political climate of peace we are confident we can turn this situation around like in the remaining protected areas in Nepal, where tigers and rhinos are still doing well," said Sybille Klenzendorf, acting director of WWF's Species Conservation Program.

Source: WWF, US Newswire