Twenty Five Years of Rhino Reintroduction Programme

Rhino Reintroduction Programme in Dudhwa National Park /Tiger Reserve, in 2010, is going to celebrate its 25 years of successful reintroduction in the field of wildlife conservation and management. For the first time in India reintroduction of rhinos from Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam and Chitwan National Park, Nepal, rhinos reintroduced into former range of its distribution in Dudhwa NP took place in two phases in 1984 and 1985.Of the total of nine rhinos translocate to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve seven survived in excellent health and these consisted of the young female and both the males of 1984 translocation from Assam, and all four young females of the 1985 from Nepal. Thus, these seven rhinos constituted the seed population of rhinos at Dudhwa National Park. In 1988, one adult male from Assam died after fought with another dominant male. Again in 1991, a female, from Nepal died due internal infection and abortion. She also lost her male calf in 1993 killed by the dominating male. The present rhino population of total 30 rhino comprise of 25 calves of different age and 5 rhinos of founder population (2010).

Dr Satya Priya Sinha,Wildlife biologist,associated with Rhino Reintroduction Programme in Dudhwa NP since 1987 Prof Bitapi.C.Sinha,Wildlife Institue of India,specialised in Eco-tourism and developed a Intrepretation centre in Dudhwa NP. Prof Qamar Qureshi, Wildlife Insitute of India, Specialised in GIS,Conservation Biology and Biostatistics