Nepal to Relocate 18 Blackbucks to Chitwan to Boost Conservation Efforts

Kathmandu. Eighteen blackbucks are set to be relocated from Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur and the Blackbuck Conservation Area in Bardiya. The Ministry of Forests and Environment announced that a total of 18 blackbucks, consisting of six males and 12 females, will be moved in the initial phase.

The Ministry issued a statement today confirming that the decision was based on the feasibility and field study report submitted by a task force, as well as previous theoretical decisions and approved action plans.

The Ministry stated, "It has been decided to relocate blackbucks from Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur and the Blackbuck Conservation Area in Bardiya to the Tikouli area of Chitwan district. The Ministry has taken note of various news reports and reactions following this decision. The endangered blackbuck population was limited to just nine in Khairapur, Bardiya, in the year 2033 BS. Since then, effective conservation efforts have led to a significant increase in their numbers."

The Ministry noted that the relocation is based on global practices and the recommendations of the task force. It recalled that in the past decade, 42 blackbucks were relocated from the Central Zoo and Khairapur to Hirapur Phanta in Shuklaphanta National Park to boost the population in Nepal.

The Ministry reported that as a result of these efforts, the number of blackbucks in Nepal's natural habitats, including Khairapur, has now reached over 500.

"Confining any wildlife to a single area poses a risk of genetic, environmental, and unforeseen circumstances that could lead to the extinction of the species," the statement said. "The significant increase in the number of blackbucks in Hirapur Phanta of Shuklaphanta National Park in a short period is a result of this very practice."