Rhino found killed in Chitwan National Park

CHITWAN: AUGUST 15 – A rhino was found dead recently in the Chitwan National Park. Its horn was found polled.

The pachyderm of around 20-year-old was traced in a morass at Batulichaur of Ghaghar under Madi Bagai sector in the Chitwan National Park, said the Chitwan National Park chief conservation officer Ananath Baral, adding that investigations were underway. It might have been killed at least two months ago because its horn was removed and there were like gunshot wounds in the head, he added.

The gender identity of the dead rhino is still unknown as it had rotted. A joint patrol team of the Nepali Army and Chitwan National Park employees found the rhino.

Immediately after the finding, a Chitwan National Park high-level team launched an investigation.

In the previous fiscal year, 2020/21, four rhinos were killed by poachers and 28 others died a natural death, according to the Chitwan National Park information officer Lokendra Adhikari. Five rhinos died a natural death in one month alone in the current FY, 2021/22.

Despite efforts to control poaching, rhino poaching continued in the Chitwan National Park.