World Wetlands Day celebration, February 2, 2014:

Marking the global celebration of World Wetlands Day, Chitwan National Park / Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in collaboration with Tribal Society for Biodiversity Conservation – Nepal (TSBC Nepal) organized an awareness raising cum river patrolling program in the Narayani River via boating on 2nd February 2014.

Wetlands are an important part of the freshwater ecosystem that has significance on water resources, biodiversity, culture and livelihood of the people.  The slogan for this year’s celebration was “Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth” highlighting the importance of wetlands on agriculture that links to food and livelihood security of the people.

Gharial Population Monitoring cum Smart River Patrolling in the Narayani River Basin of Chitwan National Park (2013-2014):

Since 23 October 2013, a team of Gharial Population Monitoring cum Smart River Patrolling consists of five members (1-gamescout from national park authority, 2-observers, 2-boatman), have been mobilized in four different segments of Narayani River Basin for regular gharial population monitoring as well as river patrolling purposes. We have been conducting this endeavor twice a month; i.e. 1st and 3rd week of each month, from Sikrauli ghat to Triveni of Narayani River.

Rhino Count – 2011:

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) has been conducting rhino census at an interval of 3-5 years since 1994. The 2011 National Rhino Census was carried out by DNPWC in collaboration with National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and WWF Nepal Program from April 5 – 23, 2011. In this census program, District Forest Office of the concerned districts, Nepal Army, Buffer Zone Management Committee, Nature Guide Association and Sauhara Hotel Association were also actively involved. Data from the three-week National Rhino Census in Nepal shows that the population of the greater one horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Unicornis) has increased.  There are 534 rhinos in Nepal, marking an increase of 99 rhinos from the 435 recorded in the last census in 2008, according to the census results, which were released Saturday. Of that total, 503 rhinos were recorded in Chitwan National Park (an increase of 95 from 2008 data), 24 in Bardia National Park (an increase of 2 from 2008 data) and 7 in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (an increase of 2 from 2008 data). These numbers reflect the success of conservation efforts for this species and are a result of improved rhino protection measures and management of habitat.

In this prestigious endeavour, one of our staff Mr. Dol Raj Thanet has involved as a full time observer in Chitwan National Park on behalf of Buffer Zone Management Committee as well as being a local forest/wildlife technician of this park. On this happy occasion, we are very fortunate that we got a chance to support the government.

Celebration of JITIA – 2011:

Song with dance (JHAMATA) competition was organized on the occasion of JITIA; one of the major festival of Tharu Indigenous community of Nepal, in September 15, 2011. Most of the Tharu communities reside in the Buffer zone of Chitwan Nation Park and using park resources as means of subsistence in their daily life. They are the real stakeholder of Chitwan National Park because they are using park resources before the park establishment, that’s why wildlife and park conservation cannot be thought without their involvement. They have their own cultural values and norms and they prefer to perform any events on their own culture and language.

Rufford Small Grant, TSBC Nepal, IDEA WILD, etc have sponsored this program and encouraged these communities to take part in this competition in order to share the information about wildlife and natural resource conservation theme. Altogether 21 groups and each groups contain 16 women took part in the competition. All groups were presented their song with dance in different themes and danced in their own culture and language. More than 1500 people from local village and neighbour were enjoying in the competition.

Gharial Census – 2011:

The Gharial census in Nepal is conducted at the interval of every few years by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation; the last Gharial census of 2008 indicated only 81 Gharials in Nepal. During this year 2011, Gharials population survey was conducted (between February to early March) to update the population status with respect to Gharial size-class and spatial distribution in the major river systems of Nepal. The survey was conducted in rivers namely Rapti, Narayani, Babai, Karnali and Koshi rivers. This study revealed 33, 48, 4 and 17 Gharials in Rapti, Narayani, Karnali and Babai rivers respectively with total of 102 Gharials in Nepal; with an increment of 21% since the last count of 2008.
In this prestigious event, one of our staff Mr. Dol Raj Thanet has involved and provided two days technical support, especially during the field investigation time.

Website Creation:

Official website of the TSBC Nepal was created (www.tsbcnepal.org.np) in January 2010, aiming to share the ground level information about biodiversity conservation issues, challenges, success stories and applied project knowledge worldwide and thereby attracts the global allied agencies to replicate such type of projects at grass root level. Project activities and relevant news are regularly updated at this website.


FM Radio Program:

Local FM Radio program named “Conservation Campaign” has been started since May 2009 from Vijaya Community FM Radio station, Gaidakot, Nawalparasi; a local radio station located in the project area. This is a weekly basis radio program which has conducted every Friday at 7:00 pm in collaboration with PARC Nepal; especially to broadcast the biodiversity conservation related issues, challenges and its sustainable conservation measures for public hearings covering large audience at a time.


Wildlife Rescue Program:

In June 22, 2010, two baby rhinos; one is around two-months old baby rhino (female) at Laugaain village, east of Laukhani post and another is around one week old baby rhino (male) from the southern river bank of Amaltari post were successfully rescued by the staffs of Chitwan National Park, NTNC team, Buffer Zone Users Committee and local conservationist. Meanwhile buffer zone resident people and other nature lover did very good job to keep this baby rhino live in this earth. Probably these two baby rhinos were flowed down by the heavy floods of Narayani River from the upstream side.

What a great conservation effort!

“Welfare of the rhino....welfare of the people....”

School Teaching Program – 2008:

To disseminate knowledge and create awareness about biodiversity (wildlife, forest, habitats) and its conservation threats among students in the Buffer zone, western sector of Chitwan National Park; school teaching program was carried out in 10 secondary schools of Nawalparasi district from November 10 – 25, 2008.

Information about biodiversity and its conservation methods, role of biodiversity for enhancing the livelihood of rural people, current conservation issues were briefed by the TSBC Nepal representative during the teaching program. More than five hundred students of different schools were participated and benefited from this program.

Registration of Organization:

TSBC Nepal, a form of eco-based tribal society, founded in April 2006, is the union of young conservationists, environmentalists and social workers who are inspired by biodiversity conservation and ecological sustenance. Initially, the society had started to conduct community-based conservation awareness programs on biodiversity especially on rhinoceros, tigers, gharials and other endangered flora and fauna and their associated habitats. This spirit came out when the society members became involved in research and conservation activities supported by Rufford Small Grants Foundation, IDEA WILD, WWF US, UNDP/ GEF /SGP/ SUC and ITTO during the start of our conservation endeavours. 
Finally, we eco-based tribal society members felt the need of an organization which not only focus on single species based conservation activities but also have a vision to explore the landscape level research and conservation of biodiversity as a whole. As a result, we transformed this eco-based tribal society into an authorised non-governmental organization in 2008 for the further research and conservation of the flora and fauna of Nepal and thereby sustain the rural livelihoods of the targeted communities. Subsequently, it is legally registered in Government of Nepal’s District Administration Office of Nawalparasi district in August 19, 2008 with registered charity number 1311/065. It is affiliated with Social Welfare Council, Nepal, with affiliation number 26922.