​​​​​​Kathmandu: Nepal has gifted Twenty six rhinoceros to various countries so far from its Chitwan National Park (CNP) .

Ved Prasad Dhakal, the chief conservation offiNEPALcer at CNP, said to Local news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)  six rhinos have been given to America, four to India and two each to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Germany, Britain and Austria.

As per a recent census, there are 645 rhinos in Nepal. Of the total, 605 of them are in Chitwan National Park.

The CNP record shows that four rhinos were sent to Dudhuwa of India for the first time in 1985. Lately, a pair of rhinos was gifted to Austria in 2006.

Two pairs of the endangered wildlife are being gifted to China after 12 years. With this, the number of rhinos sent to various countries as present reaches 30.

Elephants were brought from India, Myanmar and Thailand in exchange of rhinoceros before this.

Former chief conservation officer Ramprit Yadav said TO RSS  that 16 elephants have been brought so far from India alone in exchange of rhinos. According to him, Nepal has been gifting rhinos to various countries for establishing cordial relations with these nations. He believes this also helps in increasing the rhino population.

Similarly, the gharial and magar crocodiles have been gifted to various countries. Yadav said it would be a big achievement for Nepal if we could bring the giant panda from China in exchange of rhinos.

Chitawan National Park

Nestled at the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan has a particularly rich flora and fauna and is home to one of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros and is also one of the last refuges of the Bengal Tiger. Chitwan National Park (CNP), established in 1973, was Nepal’s first National Park. Located in the Southern Central Terai of Nepal, it formerly extended over the foothills, the property covers an area of 93,200 hectares, extends over four districts: Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Parsa and Makwanpur. In altitude it ranges from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.

The Chitwan National Park (CNP) is a world heritage property, and it also contains a Ramsar Site – Beeshazari Tal in its buffer zone. The CNP has a history of over 3 decades in park management and a rich experience in resolving conflicts between the park and the people. It is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. A total of 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 56 species of herpetofauna and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the park. The park is especially renowned for its protection of One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.