A pregnant rhino was found dead at Amaltari in Kawasoti Municipality-17, Nawalparasi, on Monday.

According to Krishna Devkota, chief of the Sector Forest Office in Kawasoti, the local people informed the authorities after they spotted the dead rhino in Amaltari. He said the horn and hoods of the pachyderm were found intact, ruling out suggestions of poaching.

A medical team from the Chitwan National Park (CNP) headquarters in Kasara reached the incident site. The carcass was buried following postmortem. Senior veterinarian Dr Kamal Gaire said initial examinations proved the rhino was infected by anthrax bacteria, an airborne disease, which spread in humid conditions.

A mother rhino had died while giving birth inside the CNP on July 21. The CNP officials found the dead pachyderm at Dudhaura area.

The death of the endangered rhinos has raised alarm in the park area. According to the CNP administration, 25 one-horned rhinos, including 19 males, died in the park in the fiscal year 2016-17, while there were 15 deaths in the previous fiscal.

Conservationists have expressed concerns over the premature death of the rhino. They said most of the rhinos have died due to electric shock, forest fires, attacks by other beasts, poisoning and health complications.