Exploring Human-Rhino Conflict Using UAV Thermal Imagery

Abstract

The Indian one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) once ranged from Pakistan in the west to even Bangladesh in the east. Nowadays, they are only seen in some parts of India and Nepal within the northern region of the subcontinent. Their numbers gradually decreased, primarily due to poaching, conflict with human, and depletion of their habitats. Today, the Rhinoceros unicornis is a protected species in Nepal. In 1973, Chitwan National Park was established to protect the population of rhino and other species. According to Mongbay News, The Nepali government’s commendable efforts led to the increase of rhino population from about 100 in 1970 to about 550 by the year 2000 in Chitwan National Park.
Despite an increase in their numbers, the threat to their well-being persists, especially due to human-rhino conflict. Rhinos are being increasingly seen to come out of the park and to the buffer zone and even to human settlements, with a growing number of conflicts with humans. One of the possible reasons that they come out of the park is to search for food.
To cope with the elevated conflict between human and rhinos, Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) thermal imagery were collected over five zones (three of which is in the Chitwan national park and two are buffer zones) and analyzed to detect rhino distribution. The probability of human-rhino conflict was then estimated and the real driving forces that lead to the conflict were explored based on the spatial pattern of the conflicts.