The City Of Kathmandu
The 4-hour flight from Bangkok did not feel too long, as the Thai Airlines’ Boeing-777 approached the Himalayas from the South. The air traffic controller instructed that the plane take a circular pattern above the airport prior to landing, so the flight took twenty minutes longer than scheduled. This gave passengers the opportunity to gaze at snow-capped peaks of the mighty Himalayas until the plane finally landed in Tribhuvan International airport, Kathmandu.
It was so hazy in Kathmandu that the shadow of the mountains was just barely seen. Temperature was mild at a comfortable 17 degrees Celsius. Tribhuvan was a small airport consisting of only one terminal for departures and arrivals. To enter Nepal, visitors were required to apply for visa upon arrival. This costs US$ 30 for each application, and everyone was granted a visa that was good for 30 days. There were many visitors from all over the world such as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese tourists, as well as Americans and French. They all came for one reason: to admire the magnificent beauty of Nepal and her Himalayan mountain region.
It was February 18, and it was a Hindu holiday with festivities dedicated to the god Shiva. Many devout followers of Shiva went to the temples to smoke opium and consume hashish in tribute to Shiva. Well, at least they only do this once a year during the holiday. Apparently, a parade related to this festivity was the reason for the airspace restriction and air traffic controller’s request for circular pattern above the airport earlier. Sounded like a fun-filled festivity! The bustling city was still influenced by the aftermath of the festival while the three-wheeled tuk-tuks, motorcycles, and other vehicles jammed the small streets.
The city of Kathmandu consisted of tourist area named Thamel, a business district for trading, government offices, residential areas, as well as Central palace and parliamentary. For the past seven years, Nepal was threatened by possible civil war because of the emergence of a group of strong Maoist rebels. For this reason, there are military presences all over the country including Kathmandu. Nepal’s politics was quite unstable with some rebel uprising, student strikes, and other political inconsistencies. These factors had taken a toll in form of the decrease in tourism industry that many Nepalese relied on. The same political situations were also causing constraints for conservation works conducted by colleagues at WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) Nepal Programs.
Species Conservation Work
Many people were aware of the tallest peak on earth, Mount Everest (also known as Sagarmatha in Nepali), the top of the world. However, not many were aware of the presence of Asian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in this region. Approximately 600 of these endangered armored beasts were found in Nepal’s Royal Chitwan, Bardia and Sukla Phanta National Parks. Originally, in 1960’s, there were fewer than 100 rhinoceros in Royal Chitwan National Park. Due to continuous efforts on conservation, this number rose to 600 in 2004.
These rhinoceros occupied a region dominated by dry forest, Sal forest, and mixed forests. Due to this vegetation, elephants were extensively used for many activities in the Park. These elephants were not caught from the wild, but were bred in nearby breeding center.
Conservation work on rhinoceros included protection, monitoring and population management. Several rhinos were tagged and equipped with radio collar. This device enabled researcher to follow transmitter installed in rhinoceros’ neck thus following the movement of this particular animal. As the capacity in Royal Chitwan National Park was not sufficient to sustain larger population, some of the rhinoceros were moved (trans-located) to other National Parks with similar topography, and vegetation types. Both radio-collar installation and trans-location involved capture of the selected rhinoceros.
Rhino Hunting!
It was 7:30 in the morning. After spending one night in a jungle resort in Kassara, and having entertained by a group of Nepalese campfire dancers, the capture team was up and ready. Park people and crew from the breeding center readied the elephants. They placed wooden frames on elephants’ backs for comfortable seating. They fastened cushions and frames using ropes tied around the elephant’s belly and tails. The driver would sit on the elephant’s neck, three on the frames, and one would stand in the back, balancing. There went a mean capture machine!
Up to 8 elephants were used to capture the rhinoceros. A team of veterinary doctors was on the back of one elephant with dart rifles, anesthetics, and some chemicals enough to stun an adult rhinoceros. Dr. Mark Atkinson, a Zimbabwean veterinary doctor recommended and brought anesthetic called M99 that he often used in his work in Africa. Park officers, WWF Staffs, and some hot-shot photographers were on other elephant units. The hunt was on. All elephants were scattered in the jungle to cover a large forest/grassland area. Slowly but surely, all these elephants walked over thick vegetations, ravines, and mud in search of the rhinoceros.
They day seemed to drag on until one unit called out from the distance. Two rhinoceros, a mother and its calf, had been sighted! All elephant units formed half circle formation flanking the path of these rhinos. Despite the carefully planned capture formation, the two rhinos managed two escape. They intimidated a unit with a charging pose and created a weak link in the formation. The formation broke loose, and the two slipped away. All units were focusing on these two rhinos. Hunting formation narrowed down and gained on the two.
Adrenaline rushed through our bloods as the targets found themselves cornered again within a tall grass area. Two shooters with dart rifles aimed on the mother, two darts were shot. One hit the neck just between the folds. Another one uselessly hit the thick armor of the back. Again, the half circle formation was established. This time both the mother and the calf charged on to several elephant units simultaneously. Thick dust formed as they charged at speed of approximately 40 km/hour. Their effort paid off, as the formation broke loose again. They took this opportunity to escape once more. A leader unit re-organized the formation and the pursuit was started.
It was a small island of Sal trees in the middle of grass and mud. The rhinos were once again cornered. This time the elephant formation was tight. Since the area was small, two layers of barricade were formed. There was no way for escape. Rhino mother was already drowsy from the drug, but the calf showed aggressive resistance. The baby charged on several times to elephant units. This gesture scared off one elephant, and created havoc among the units. However, the two-layered barricade was too strong to break. In one attempt, the calf charged at full speed. The barricade gave out and the calf was out of barricade, nose-diving into the nearby muddy tall grass. The calf decided to stay out of the game.
A Nepalese shooter jumped onto a tree from his elephant. Nestled between the branches he aimed for the mother rhinoceros. Another shot hit the neck folds, administering more anesthetic drug. All units held formation and waited a while until the target was walking slowly and feebly. It finally lied down and slept under the influence of the anesthetic. Veterinary doctors were watched closely, as the drug took effect. Noting for signs and symptoms the doctors kept their eyes on the sleeping beast. They gave the indication when the situation was safe enough for people to work on the rhinoceros.
Workers eagerly jumped out of their elephants to start taking measurements, install collar with radio transmitter, while they kept the rhino’s skin moist with sprinkles of water they brought in a bucket. These people worked quickly and efficiently. After a short while, the doctors gave a reversal drug to awake the sleeping rhinoceros. Not long, the rhinoceros came around and gained consciousness. Assessing the situation to be still threatening, it charged on to a cameraman that was too eager to take footage that he forgot to climb his elephant. This cameraman ran quick and climbed his elephant and survived the charge. With radio-collar installed, the rhino mother ran into the jungle and looked for its calf. Everyone was satisfied with the process. A big round applause ended the hunt.
Moving The Rhinoceros
Transporting the rhinoceros to Bardia and Sukla Phanta National Parks would involve the same capture procedure as in the radio collar installation. The stunned rhinoceros would be carried and loaded on to a truck that would be waiting not far from the capture site. An animal weighing up to 2 tons would be carefully placed in a cage, and harnessed to the back of the truck for a long journey to the new home.
The rhino population increased steadily over the years, so the area in Royal Chitwan was no longer capable to support larger population. For this reason, some of the animals had to be transported to other locations.
A team of veterinary doctors would escort the journey on Terai Highway connecting Royal Chitwan, Bardia, and Sukla Phanta National Parks. Since 1986, WWF and Nepal government had moved 87 Rhinoceros, 83 to Bardia, and 4 to Sukla Phanta. Unfortunately, due to possible uprising in this region, they would not move the rhinoceros this year. For security reason, this condition might become far too hazardous for both the rhino and the transporters.
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