20 rhinos found dead in eight months

CHITWAN: 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 the 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 the last fiscal year. Of the, 18 from natural causes 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 to 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.