Tracking rhinos through the habitat matrix in Khata to optimize corridor's functionality and its natural resou

General

The purpose of this project is to map rhino movements to optimize the design of and conservation practices in the Khata corridor of the Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal. This will be done by: (a) organizing a central level consultation meeting in Kathmandu to establish the roles and responsibilities of organizations participating in the project; (b) obtaining government approval to place GPS collars on rhinos; (c) procuring the necessary equipment for conduct of the project; (d) conducting a field level coordination meeting at Bardia National Park to coordinate field level activities among the various involved agencies; (e) training the four local people who will carry out the projects field duties; (f) capturing, collaring and tracking four rhinos for one year; (g) mapping the land-use and land cover data in Khata corridor using high resolutions satellite imagery; (h) interpreting the images and assigning rhino movement data to land-use and land cover classes based on wildlife habitat suitability; (I) assessing and classifying the forests of the project area into different classes based on succession and restoration; (j) overlaying the GPS locations from the collared rhinos on the land-use and land cover maps to determine how rhinos move through the corridor habitat matrix; (k) using the preferred habitats of rhinos in the Khata to optimize land-use planning; (l) using the rhino habitat use data to develop a tactical patrolling plan for use by the CBAPO at the local level; and (m) utilizing the project data in assessing the potential of the Karnali, Basanta and Laljhadi corridors for rhino movement.