Bihar to constitute 'Rhino Task Force' for the reintroduction of rhino conservation scheme

After a substantial increase in the number of tigers in Bihar, the state government is now all set to constitute a 'Rhino Task Force' for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of the terrestrial mammals in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district, an official said.

At present there is only one rhino in VTR and 14 rhinos in Patna Zoo, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden P K Gupta said.

"After the reintroduction of the Rhino Conservation scheme, the number of rhinos will substantially increase in the VTR", Gupta told PTI.

"VTR has been selected as one of the potential sites under the National Rhino Conservation strategy where rhinos may be brought from other reserves in the country.

"A committee was set up to assess the habitat and security conditions in VTR and to suggest measures for reintroduction of rhinos in the reserve, about two years back," the additional principal chief conservator of forests said.

The committee recently submitted its report to the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC). Now the state government is preparing to constitute a 'Rhino Task Force' for suggesting measures for the reintroduction of rhinos in the VTR, he said.

"The process of the reintroduction of the rhino scheme in VTR will start on the basis of the recommendations of the task force", said Gupta.

It has been decided to increase the rhino-bearing areas in VTR by five per cent in the next two years, he said.

Around 75 per cent of the entire world population of one-horned rhinoceros is in India and more than 93 per cent of the Indian Rhino population lives in just one protected area in Assam - the Kaziranga National Park, he said.

As per the plan rhinos will be taken out of crowded habitats and shifted to identified areas in the VTR, said Gupta, adding that the objective is to provide more room for the rhinos to breed and multiply.

The potentially identified areas for the reintroduction scheme in VTR are — Ganauli and Madanpur, Gupta said. Currently, an adult free-ranging male rhino has been in VTR for the last two years.

The VTR occupies a core area of 909.86 sq km of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district of Bihar. The VTR was established as the 18th tiger reserve in 1990 and ranked fourth in the density of the tiger population. The rivers Gandak and Masan flow through this area.

VTR, the only national park in Bihar, recently recorded a 75 per cent increase in tiger numbers — from 31 in 2018 to 54 in 2022. There has been an increase of 23 tigers in the last four years. Enthused by the sharp increase in tiger population at VTR, the Bihar government has also initiated the process of developing the 'Kaimur wildlife sanctuary' (KWLS) into another tiger reserve or 'tiger-bearing landscape' in the state. This sanctuary occupies an area of 1,504.96 square kilometres.