The government is conducting a study on the status and distribution of parts and products of endangered wildlife confiscated so far, and proceed with destruction of such items if needed.

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) has formed a 13-member committee to look over the management of the seized wildlife parts, trophies and products stored in various national parks and wildlife reserves.

A ministerial meeting of last month has also approved a working procedure to manage valuable wildlife parts and products by either destroying them or keeping them for museums, research facilities and educational institutes.

In 1998, authorities had for the first time burnt the confiscated wildlife parts and products deposited in various places. The move had courted controversy as wildlife conservationists and experts criticised the authorities’ decision of not destroying the highly valuable rhino horns.

After the 1998 event, authorities have not destroyed the animal parts in lack a legal framework to manage the confiscated items, including rhino horns and tiger bones and hides, said Ram Chandra Kandel, chief conservation officer at the Chitwan National Park (CNP).

“Earlier, we did not have any legal framework to decide on wildlife parts and products of endangered and important wildlife seized from different parts of the country, the only option was to burn them,” said Maheshwar Dhakal, spokesperson with DNPWC.

The working procedure has said that Kasara inside CNP would serve as the only storehouse for wildlife parts and products from now onwards.