Chitwan, March 18: Twenty rhinos were found dead in eight months of the current fiscal year in the Chitwan National Park (CNP) and its surrounding areas.
CNP Information Officer Abinash
Thapa Magar said all of these rhinos died in current fiscal year due to natural
causes— from tiger and crocodile attacks, fighting amongst each other, falling
ill, and old age.
Total 21 rhinos died in last fiscal
year. Of the, 18 from natural cause while two from poaching while the reason
behind the death of one rhino was not ascertained, he added.
Similarly, 22 rhinos died in the
CNP in the fiscal year 2022/23—20 due natural causes, one electrocuted and one
from poaching. The Ministry of Forest and Environment had formed a committee to
find out the reasons after many rhinos died from natural causes.
The mortality rate of rhinos from
natural causes has started decreasing in recent years. As per the census, 2021,
there are 752 rhinos in Nepal. The CNP has the highest number of one-horned
rhinos which is 694. (RSS)