Nepal’s plan to release blackbucks into tiger country raises red flags
Nepal plans to relocate 18 blackbucks to an enclosure near Chitwan National Park to expand their habitat. Conservationists have raised concerns about the suitability of the new site due to potential predation and environmental stressors. The initiative aims to create a secure population in case of disasters affecting existing herds.
- ▪The blackbucks will be translocated from Shuklaphanta National Park and Blackbuck Conservation Area.
- ▪Conservationists warn that the new site may increase physiological and behavioral stress for the blackbucks.
- ▪The blackbuck population in Nepal has increased to over 500 individuals due to previous conservation efforts.
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Nepali authorities will relocate 18 blackbucks to an enclosure near Chitwan National Park to establish a new habitat for the critically endangered animals, which in Nepal are currently found only in Bardiya and Shuklaphanta.However, Chitwan’s monsoonal climate, competition from other deer species, and the presence of tigers and leopards are likely to increase physiological and behavioral stress for the blackbucks, conservationists warn.They’ve also flagged the relocation enclosure’s proximity to a municipal waste dump and a carnival ground, and warned of potential disturbances from tourists.Earlier translocations to Shuklaphanta were considered successful, helping to boost Nepal’s blackbuck population, largely in human-managed landscapes; but ecologists say true success will be achieved…
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