Chitwan, Sept 3: A rhino was found dead in the Chitwan National Park (CNP). The rhino is suspected to have been killed by poacher(s) as its horn and hooves were found nearby, said the CNP’s information officer Ganesh Prasad Tiwari.
A patrolling team found the horn and hooves in the inner part of the Malli post, he said. The rhino might have been killed around seven months ago, he said. “The gender and age of the rhino have not been established yet.
Its horn and hooves, and the skeleton were found two days ago. An investigation is ongoing,” he said. Twenty two rhinos were killed in the CNP in the previous year.
Four arrested for possessing rhino horn
Meanwhile, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police have arrested four persons in possession of rhino horn. Rhino is a protected wildlife species.
A CIB team mobilized for the prevention, control and investigation of crime related to the environment and wildlife poaching and smuggling in wildlife parts made the arrest on the basis of a tip-off.
Those arrested in this connection from local Kageshwari Manahara Municipality-7 are Pradip Magar of Melung Rural Municipality, Dolakha; Purna Singh Tamang, 50, of Manthali Municipality, Ramechhap district; Shree Krishna Nagarkoti, 31, of Budhanilkantha Municipality-13, Kathmandu district and Karna Tamang, 35, of Dupcheshwor Rural Municipality, Nuwakot district, said Superintendent of Police at CIB, Nawaraj Adhikari.
CIB has handed them over to the Division Forest Office, Hattisar, Kathmandu, for further investigation and action. The Division Forest Office said they are being investigated under the National Parks and Wildlife Protection Act.
