Chitwan: Chitwan National Park (CNP) has reported the deaths of 12 rhinos within the last five months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. The fatalities occurred in the park and its buffer zone, according to Avinash Thapa Magar, Information Officer at the CNP.

Among the deceased rhinos, four were identified as male, five as female, while the sex of the remaining three could not be determined.

In the same period, the park also recorded the death of a six-year-old tiger, which lost its life during a territorial fight with another tiger at Nandapurghat in the Amaltari area of the district.

Human casualties due to wildlife attacks were also noted, with two people losing their lives and four others sustaining injuries in rhino attacks. The deceased individuals were residents of Nawalpur Bardaghat Susta (East).

Additionally, CNP security personnel arrested 150 individuals for alleged involvement in illegal activities within the national park during this timeframe. The charges against them include poaching and smuggling rhino horns, killing tigers, and engaging in other illegal practices, according to Information Officer Thapa Magar.

The incidents underline ongoing challenges in wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence within the region. Efforts to curb illegal activities and ensure the protection of endangered species remain a priority for CNP authorities