Chitwan National Park
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How it came to be
From the late 19th century to the 1950s Chitwan in southern Nepal was the winter hunting ground of the ruling elite. It took weeks to walk there from Kathmandu, and hunting camps lasted months as tigers and rhinos were shot. In 1950 more than 2,600 square kilometres of forest and grassland held about 800 rhinos.
From the 1950s to the late 1960s, after DDT brought malaria under control, farmers from the hills settled the valley, some 70% of the jungle was cleared and poaching spread. By the late 1960s only about 95 rhinos were left, and the government set up a rhino patrol of 130 armed men.
In 1973 Chitwan became Nepal's first national park, and it was inscribed in 1984. Rhinos recovered to 503 by 2011 and tigers to 125 by 2010. When the park was created, the indigenous Tharu were forced off their land.
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