Status and Distribution.

It is difficult to obtain accurate information about the former range and distribution of rhinoceros in Nepal. W. T. Blanford, in The Fauna of British India, Mammalia, Part II (1891), wrote of it as being found in 1850 “… along the base of the Himalayas in Nepal and as far west as Rohilcund” (a district of India near the border of West Nepal). From information obtained in Katmandu it appears that the last rhinoceros in the Morang District of south-eastern Nepal was shot at the turn of the present century, and that the last rhinoceros in the area immediately east of Chitawan was killed in 1927. It would be safe to say that about 100 years ago rhinoceros were found all along the southern border of Nepal. Since 1930 they have been confined to the area covered by this Report.

The following recommendations are made :—

(1) That the present Mahendra National Park be enlarged and extended (a) Southwards to include the migration routes and rhinoceros areas as far as the Reu valley, and (b) Northwestwards to include the scenic area in the north-west. See Sections V and VI and Map 3. And that this national park be fully protected with buffer belts where possible.

(2) That the riverain tracts of the Narayani, Rapti and Reu rivers which contain rhinoceros be designated as National Park Extension Areas or Protected Areas, with rights of local villagers for grazing, cutting firewood and cutting thatch to continue as before, but to remain free of settlement and cultivation.

In conclusion, I must record my deepest appreciation of the help given to me in Nepal by officials and non-officials. First and foremost, to General Kiran Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana who gave me his fullest moral support and advice as well as much information; to the Chief Forest Officer, Mr. Balarama Paul Baidya, who kindly made his departmental information available to me and allotted an officer to take me round the rhinoceros area; to Circle Officer Captain Tej Jung Thapa, an experienced sportsman and naturalist; to Major Lok Bikram, who helped me to obtain elephants in the Rapti Valley; to Mr. K. B. Malla, Chief of the Rapti Valley Multi-Purpose Project, who kindly allowed me camping facilities and transport to Dadrahani; to Mr. Boris Lissanevitch, of the Hotel Royal in Katmandu, who very kindly made available to me some camping equipment as well as much information; to Colonel and Mrs. Proud of the British Embassy, Mr. Sen of the Indian Embassy, and Mr. N. Pal of the India Aid Mission, all of whom showed much interest in my mission.

Blanford, W. T. (1891). The Fauna of British India, Mammalia, Part II.

Shebbkark, E. O. (1953). “Status of the Three Asiatic Rhinoceros,” Oryx, Vol. II, No. 3.

Smythies, E. A. (1942). Big Game Shooting in Nepal.

Smythies, Olive (1953). Tiger Lady.

Stracey, P. D. (1957). “The Status of the Great Indian Rhinoceros (R. unicornis) in Nepal.” Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, August, 1957.