Chitwan National Park (CNP) has been celebrating zero rhino poaching years for the past two years. However, death of the endangered rhinos is very alarming in the park area.

As per the information available at the CNP, 14 rhinos died in the park area in the last fiscal year. The park administration said only one among the 14 dead rhino died of old age.

Conservationists are of the opinion that the rhinos are dying in prematurely due to negligence of the authorities concerned, hotel entrepreneurs and  locals.

They said most of the rhinos have died due to electric shock, forest fire, attacks by other beasts and poisoning.

A park official said people living close to the park are setting up deadly electric

fences and poison traps to protect their crops from rhinos and elephants.

A rhino was found dead near Meghauli Serai Hotel in Narayani Municipality-1 on August 9. It was found that the rhino was electrocuted due

to negligence of the hotel staffers.

The Chitwan District Court last week remanded four hotel employees into custody for investigation.

Chief Conservation Officer at the CNP Ramchandra Kandel said the park, hotel entrepreneurs and the local people should work together to conserve rhinos.

He said the they were also planning to monitor the hotels in the area to check whether they have wildlife-friendly infrastructure.

 “All should work together for rhino conservation.

The hotels that are directly

benefited from the tourists visiting to see rhinos

should be wildlife-friendly,” Kandel said.

Injured rhino recovering

A one-horned rhino that was found with multiple bullet wounds at a forest in Rautahat district is recovering under the care of the Chitwan National Park. The rhino was found with six bullet wounds, including four in the head, a few weeks ago. The rhino, which was found in a critical condition, is making a gradual recovery, the park officials said on Wednesday.