The National Conservation Rhino Strategy for India formed for coordinating conservation efforts between India and Nepal to save the one-horned rhinoceros was launched on Tuesday.
The strategy plan was launched by Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change Harsh Vardhan during the two-day 2nd Asian Rhino Range States meeting in New Delhi.
The plan said the single population of rhinos in Sukla-Phanta (Nepal), Valmiki tiger reserve (India) and Chitwan National Park (Nepal) and Dudhwa (India) is separated by the political boundary between the two countries.
The plan also said that a same protocol should be used for conserving the one-horned rhinos of both India and Nepal, reports The Telegraph.
It also stated that the strengths of field ecology expertise of Nepal and protection infrastructure techniques of India need to be shared for landscape-level synergy in conservation endeavors.
The plan calls for strengthening protection and conservation of existing and potential rhino habitats. It also calls for expanding distribution range of rhinos.
The global population of one-horned rhinos is 3584 out of which India and Nepal have 2938 and 646 respectively.
However, the population of rhinos in India and Nepal is slowly increasing despite poaching.
The meeting was organized by Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change, and International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission, Asian Rhino Specialist Group along with WWF-India, International Rhino Foundation and Aaranyak, an NGO.
During the meeting, Harsh Vardhan hoped that the plan will help in effective conservation of rhinos.