Kathmandu, Nov 29 (IANS) Another one-horned rhinoceros has been found dead in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, taking the death toll of the endangered species to 16 since July this year, according to an official.
Lokendra Adhikari, an information officer at Chitwan National Park, told Xinhua news agency that an injured rhinoceros aged between 20-25 years died in course of treatment on Saturday morning.
“We had rescued the injured rhino from a ravine at Maruthi Khola region of the national park on Friday,” he told Xinhua.
“However, we couldn’t save it.”
The male had broken three legs and had injuries in body parts.
The park officials suspected that the animal could have fallen from a cliff while walking.
“The total death toll of rhino has gone to 16 in the last four months of the current fiscal year,” said Adhikari.
“Among them, four were killed by poachers while remaining 12 died due to natural reasons.”
The rhino census conducted in 2015 shows Nepal is home to 645 rhinoceros with 605 in Chitwan National Park, 29 in Bardiya National Park, eight in Shuklaphanta National Park and three in Parsa National Park.
–IANS
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