Nepal deployed armed soldiers, military patrols, and community intelligence networks in 2010 to save its rhinos; years later, the country recorded multiple years without a single rhino being poached

Poaching of wild animals is frequently associated with vulnerable species being chased in expansive terrain by criminal gangs that are equipped with sophisticated weapons. For a considerable period of time, the greater one-horned rhinoceros became the focal point of illegal global trading.

Being highly sought after due to their horns being very much appreciated all around the world, these wonderful animals started disappearing rapidly from their natural habitats. Recognising the loss of a major aspect of its natural treasure, Nepal reacted.But when the government came up with an iron-fisted approach to end this crisis, Nepal sent armed soldiers, military patrols, and even shoot-on-sight anti-poaching efforts in 2010 to protect its rhinos.

It was a bold conservation effort that helped turn Nepal’s national parks into militarised areas. Although the iron-fisted approach attracted controversy, the result was worth noting because Nepal was able to have several years without any rhinos getting killed, making headlines all over the world for having such successful wildlife protection efforts.Examining the strategy of enforcementCertainly, it was an accomplishment worthy of recognition, but what about the actual dynamics behind such strong enforcement actions? In fact, the consequences of such a highly militarised approach were studied very carefully in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The scientists who conducted this study had to analyse how different enforcement strategies, including community-based patrolling and militarisation, work under varying levels of threat.

The paper attributes Nepal’s turnaround to a coordinated package of measures introduced after 2010: new Wildlife Crime Control Committees at central and district levels, security forces deployed around rhino habitat, and local youths recruited for surveillance and reporting. It also notes that these efforts produced six ‘zero poaching’ years in the prior nine years, including a full 365-day stretch from 3 January 2011 to 1 January 2012, alongside higher conviction rates from targeted arrests and prosecutions.In the findings of this study, use of force alone is a complicated and multi-faceted strategy. In the study, the authors employed both ecological and criminal modelling frameworks to model the interactions of the anti-poaching forces with the locals and the criminals. It was observed that while military presence works as a quick and effective deterrence measure against poachers, it is also likely to result in friction between the human populace residing at the edge of the protected wildlife regions.

Authority and community relationsFrom the data provided, it is evident that effective long-term conservation requires good social relations. If the conservation efforts rely largely on military structure, then the relationship between the park authorities and the local populace is bound to be complicated. In the study, it was pointed out that the local populace ends up feeling restricted and alienated from its natural habitat.

This may have an adverse effect on the willingness of locals to cooperate with the conservationists.The research maintained that the best approach for ensuring the permanence of the endangered species in the future would be to integrate rigorous enforcement along with community-led conservation measures. The case of Nepal reveals that whereas aggressive military intervention was necessary to break the back of the organised crime syndicate behind the rhino killings in 2010, the continuation of the rhino population in the long term depends equally upon community involvement.

Through community participation, youth volunteers, tourism proceeds, and new job opportunities, conservationists can convert hostile environments into cooperative environments.