An injured rhino calf that was rescued a month ago from Meghauli, Chitwan, died during treatment. Though the injured calf died a week ago, Chitwan National Park (CNP) announced it only on Sunday.

The male rhino calf, apparently injured in an attack of a wild animal, succumbed to the injuries during  treatment in Sauraha sector of the CNP, said Information Official Nurendra Aryal.

The rhino calf about eight-month-old had been rescued with multiple cuts and bruises from Meghauli Community Forest on September 8. “We rescued the rhino calf and started the treatment, but it didn’t survive,” said Aryal. 

The CNP believes the calf is a baby of the rhino that died of electric shock near Hotel Meghauli Serai in August.

The orphaned calf could have been attacked by a tiger following the death of its mother, the CNP officials said. It had sustained deep wound in its right thigh and a fracture on one of its legs.

The CNP Sauraha Sector chief, Abhanaya Pathak, said the rhino calf died because of infection in its broken bones. “The rhino had small wounds in its leg and it got infected,” he said. 

Meanwhile, another calf rescued at the same time from Amaltari of Nawalparasi is receiving medical attention at Sauraha Sector of the CNP. 

The rhino calf, found with injuries in its hind leg, is recovering well.

Blackbuck number dwindles inside Krishnasar area

GULARIYA: The number of blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra), locally known as Krishnasar, inside Krishnasar Conservation Area (KCA) in Bardiya has declined to 215 from 300 recorded last year.

Officials said leopard attack is the main reason behind blackbuck population decline. Nearly three dozen blackbucks inside the KCA are killed in leopard attacks every year. At least 25 of them were killed in the last three months.

 The KCA authority said leopards from forests in Tulsipur and Bechaipur have been known to enter the conservation area in search of prey.

 “Keeping leopards from entering the conservation area has become a challenge for us. Leopard attacks have not stopped, though security personnel conduct regular patrol,” said Assistant Conservation Officer Purusottam Sharma.

The government had set up the KCA to conserve blackbucks on March 16, 2009. (PR)