Nepal

Program for the protection and conservation of the Bengal tiger and the Indian Rhinoceros in the Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal

•  Tiger mission 2002
•  Single Horned Indian Rhinoceros

Terre et Faune in collaboration with Charles McDougal and his partners have built up at tiger adoption program in the Royal Chitwan National Park.
As an experienced specialist, Dr. McDougal has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to the welfare of the tigers and rhinoceros.

Thanks to his engagement the number of tigers has increased.

However the poachers, trading with tiger and rhino products for the traditional oriental medicine still remain a danger.
Royal Chitwan finds itself in the heart of the smuggler network, which links India to China, over the mountains of Tibet.
If the guards were just a little bit less active, this would lead to dire consequences for the survival of the two species.

A part from this the political crises do not help the situation for the protection of Chitwan. Anarchy has grown and with it the activities of the smugglers. All want to be part of the natural heritage of Chitwan.

The Royal Chitwan National Park is one of the best natural habitats in the world for the yet still remaining tigers.

Its alone has a population of approx. 35 fertile adults Bengal tigers (out of 107 animals). Various indicators show that the population without human intervention has reached its maximum. Throughout the past years, informants and their observations have provided us with important facts concerning the behaviour of the tigers. Very few scientists have invested as much time as Dr Chuck McDougal, the director of fauna in tiger tops. Over 1000 hours of patient observation have led to an enormous volume of knowledge, which has been summarised in his book, "The face of the tiger".

The only possibility of guaranteeing the survival of the tiger population is the construction of large protected reserves, into which no human beings can enter and which are surrounded by adequate buffer zones. Also, the reserves have to be linked together by migration channels.