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The Director General and National Program Director for the projects, Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey, presented an overview of the major achievements of the project. Likewise, National Program Manager, Mr. Prabhu Budathoki, highlighted on the activities of the project. After reviewing the progress and issues related to the implementation of the program, the meeting decided to:
Status
of Bengal Florican in the
Grassland of Royal Chitwan National Park A study on the status of Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) has been recently carried out in the grassland of Royal Chitwan National Park by Shankar Prasad Lakhay, a B.Sc. Forestry student, as partial fulfillment of his B.Sc. Forestry Degree from the Institute of Forestry, Tribhunvan University, Nepal.
The study was conducted in 14 patches of grasslands of the park covering 58% (27.87 sq.km.) of the total grassland from early March to mid May 1999. The researcher, who used direct field survey and questionnaire, estimates that 18 to 31 male exist in three semi-isolated sub-populations inside the park. He also assumes equal sex ratio and estimates the adult population to be 32-36. He found it difficult to locate the female population. During his study, he sighted only one immature male, which he believes as a result of poor breeding success in this species. Bengal Florican is said to prefer open grassland habitat with adequate interspersion of tall grasses with short grasses. The researcher observed males exclusively in the short grass area dominated by Imperata cylindrica and Sateria species whereas females were seen in the relatively tall grasses with thick coverage. The prime habitat of the bird face pressure from execessive grass cutting and burning. Due to natural succession and the reverting of park’s sort grassland into tall grassland and ultimately to riverine forest, the overall grassland area is contracting. The study reveals that the overall population
of this elusive bird in the park is in critical condition. The major
threats include—massive habitat destruction, low breeding success, high
mortality rate at the early stage of its life due to predation, hunting
and seasonal flooding. The researcher points out that for a viable
population, the local population will heavily depend on the immigration of
new individuals from the surrounding area. However, there is no such
possibility as there is no official record of Bengal Florican in the
adjoining Parsa Wildlife Reserve. |
In order to save the
endangered species from possible local extinction, the study has made a
number of recommendations relating to the protection of natural grassland
that support the bird, initiation of grassland management activities,
minimization of grazing, and studies on different facets of biological and
ecological requirements of the species.
In addition, the study report recommends regular monitoring,
awareness programmes for local people and exploring the possibility of
restoration of the endangered species through captive breeding.
Deer Research Centre The Deer Research Centre established at Godavari, Lalitpur, with an objective of developing artificial breeding of musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), is presently engaged in a number of deer handling works, and it could be developed as a training centre for possible deer farming in future.
The Centre started with two females and one
male musk deer received form Sagarmatha National Park. The male deer died
after a few weeks. One of the females gave birth to a male baby deer,
which also died of pneumonia after 27 months. Presently, there are 50
spotted deer, 16 barking deer and 2 musk deer. The Centre is developing
deer handling techniques, and serving as a veterinary clinic and orphanage
for birds and small mammals. Schoolchildren also visit the Centre and
acquire information on ex situ conservation of deer species. WWF Nepal Program has
been providing support for two staff for deer handling and management at
the Centre. Tiger and elephant kill local residents A tigress with two cubs killed Ganga Ram Saud, a local resident, while he was collecting Pipla Piple, a medicinal plant, inside Royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, on 16 October 1999. Mangal Chaudhari, a staff of Hotel Silent Safari, was killed in another tiger attack on 2 December 1999. The deceased was on his way to the hotel from his village. Reserve authorities believe it could be the same tigress that killed Saud in October. No further attack on human and livestock has been reported. Likewise, there is a recent report of a tiger killing a local resident in a community forest near Nagarban, Nawalparasi. The tiger was later captured and translocated to another area, where it is being monitored by the staff of Royal Chitwan National Park. In another incident, a wild elephant killed Sohan Lal Tharu, a resident of Ward No 5 Bakua of Shivapur VDC adjacent to Royal Bardia National Park on 14 December 1999. Wild elephants are reported to be causing crop damage in and around Durgauli and Pathriya VDC in the Far-western Kailali district. During their seasonal movement, wild elephants often move through human habitation. The Department has initiated a study about the resident and dispersing herds of wild elephants in the country. |
Published
by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. P. O. Box: 860, Kathmandu,
Nepal. |
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