Nepali Times
Nepali Society
Hi, I’m Jungey


Namaste. I am what they call the Greater One Horned Asian Rhinoceros but people here in Kasara call me Jungey. If you are visiting the Royal Chitwan National Park, you'll see me mingling with the locals in the villages around the park headquarters or just hanging around the Gharial Breeding Centre.

Us One Horned Asians were nearly wiped out many years ago by guys in pith helmets who found great pleasure in shooting us while perched safe on top of elephants. If they had the guts to face us on the ground, my ancestors would have given them some real sport. Although Chitwan has been protected for 40 years now, it's still difficult for us here. When humans want more land they take it away from us. And there are those who hunt us for our horns claiming it makes them virile. Dimwits.

Surviving is not easy because competition is tough. There are too many of us here and too little territory despite dozens of our cousins being translocated to Bardiya over the past decade. That is why sometimes we go out to the villager's fields and make a little snack of their crops. I guess it's our way of giving it back.

I was found by a ranger wandering around the jungle after I was wounded in a scrap with a larger male rhino over a girlfriend. This long gash right here on my side was where he gored me. Luckily I have thick skin and survived. Yes, that is how love triangles are with us too. They've kept me here ever since and I am what they call 'tame', but I would really like to go back into the wild side. We rhinos are not very welcome among locals here as you can see from the cuts on my back, in the jungle we would wallow in mud pools that would disinfect them. The rangers put ointment on them ,but they don't heal as well.

If only humans could learn to live with nature in harmony, we would all be much happier. Anyway, if you come to Chitwan, drop by and say hello to me. Go to the warden's office in Kasara and ask for Jungey. They'll know where to find me.


LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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