Seven rhinos died in Chitwan National Park (CNP) due to natural causes in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

Chief Conservation Officer of CNP Bed Kumar Dhakal said that the rhinos died due to old age, infighting and languishing in the swamp. Likewise, a male rhino hit a female to death, a crocodile gobbled up a baby rhino and another one died due to kidneys and lungs related infections.

However, no rhino died at the hands of poachers in the review period.

Information Officer of the CNP Nurendra Aryal said the death of rhinos from natural reasons has increased with the rise in rhinos’ number.

A total of 26 rhinos had died of natural reasons in the last fiscal year, the highest death toll so far in a single year. According to the rhino census carried out in 2015, the number of rhinos has reached 605 in CNP. RSS