Thanks to strong conservation and law enforcement efforts, not a single rhino was killed by poachers in Nepal, the first such year in 29 years.
Conservationists in the Himalayan nation celebrated at Chitwan National Park, where the vast majority of the country’s 534 rhinos reside.
“It’s a testament to the efforts of the Government of Nepal, WWF and many partners,” explained Barney Long, Asian species expert at WWF. “We hope the new year will bring additional good news from other countries like South Africa as they continue to crack down on rhino poaching.”