Banking News – It has been 1,042 days today since a rhino was saved from poaching in Chitwan National Park. Earlier, on Kartik 30, 2080 BS, poachers had killed two rhinos by trapping them in pits in the eastern sector of the park. Poachers had killed two rhinos by trapping them in separate pits in the Chaparchuli area of the park, located three kilometers southeast of the Khagendramalli post near Khairhani in eastern Chitwan.

Since then, although rhinos have died from natural causes, none have died due to poaching. Rhinos have been saved from being killed due to strict security in the park. According to Abinash Thapa Magar, Information Officer of the park, although rhinos have died from natural causes, poachers have not been able to kill any rhino in the past 1,042 days.

There are records of poachers killing rhinos in the years before Kartik 30 of fiscal year 2080/81. According to the park, poachers killed five rhinos in fiscal year 2077/78, two in 2078/79, and two in 2079/80. Earlier, in fiscal year 2058/59, poachers had killed 38 rhinos. During the armed conflict, poachers took advantage of reduced security posts and killed rhinos. Since then, after the security mechanism became vigilant, there had been 1,071 days of zero poaching.

In Chitwan National Park and its buffer zone, 43 rhinos died from natural causes in fiscal year 2075/76, 26 in 2076/77, 35 in 2077/78, 20 in 2079/80, 21 in 2080/81, 28 in 2081/82, and 22 in 2082/83. A new Gorkha Battalion unit of the Nepali Army has taken responsibility for security arrangements in the park. Thapa Magar stated that poaching control has been possible through cooperation between the park administration, the Nepali Army, and locals.

There are currently 53 posts in the park. He stated that Nepali Army and park security personnel are providing security at those posts. Poachers kill rhinos in the park and buffer zone by shooting, trapping in pits, poisoning, and electrocuting them. Similarly, rhinos die from natural causes including old age, attacks by other animals, fighting among themselves, being swept away by floods, getting stuck in swamps, and being eaten by tigers. According to the latest census, there are 752 rhinos in Nepal. Among them, 695 rhinos are in Chitwan National Park alone. No rhino census has been conducted since 2021. Rhinos are also present in Parsa, Bardiya, and Shuklaphanta, along with Chitwan.