Nepal's Chitwan National Park completes second year of zero rhino poaching

Nepal has been successful in preserving the endangered rhinos as it completed a second year of zero poaching this week.

On Monday, the Chitwan National Park, located some 150 km from the capital, completed 730 days of zero poaching.

"We are happy to mark the zero rhino poaching year for the second consecutive year. We have created history due to the support and cooperation from all", Ram Chandra Kandel, chief conservation officer at the Chitwan National Park told local media.

The park which is regarded as the most suitable location for the protection of one-horned rhinoceros has assigned the Nepal Army, the Nepal Police and various networks of conversationalists for rhino-preservation mechanism. Many non-governmental organizations have also assisted in the operation.

The park has also adopted a four-layer security strategy based on scientific methods to control wildlife crimes.

The last recorded poaching in the Park was on May 2, 2014 when a one-horn rhino was killed. The government records showed that most poaching occurred during the decade-long armed conflict in Nepal between 1996 and 2006.

Out of less than 2,500 one-horned rhinos globally, the number of endangered rhinos stands at 645 in the Himalayan country. Out of this, 605 are in Chitwan National Park, according to the officials.

Chitwan National Park is also renowned for the protection of Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.

Rhinos are regularly killed by poachers for their body parts and skin, especially for their one-horns which are worth thousands of dollars in the global market. Endit