An adult male one-horned rhino was found dead on the bank of Rapti River near Meghauli in the Chitwan National Park (CNP) on Saturday.  

The pachyderm, believed to be about 25 years old, sustained multiple injuries on its body. The CNP suspects the rhino might have died following a fight with another rhino in the area. The local people informed the CNP and Nepal Army after they spotted the carcass on the river bank. 

“It used to roam around this area. It seems that the rhino died following a fight with another male rhino,” said Ranger Chhatra Khadka at Meghauli Range Post in the CNP, adding that the carcass was later buried near the incident site after taking out its horn and hoofs. 

It is not an isolated case of rhino death in the CNP. 

The incident of rhino deaths caused by ‘natural cause’ is unchecked in the protected area. 

Nurendra Aryal, an information officer at the CNP, said that 15 rhinos have died of natural causes in the park in the past five months. Four of them died due to injuries sustained during fights, he explained. 

“The age of dead rhinos range from six-seven months to 35 years. Six of them 

were female and nine male,” said Aryal. 

The CNP said five rhinos died due to floods and inundation in the park this year, two females died of delivery complications while four others died of aging and diseases. Twenty-five rhinos, including 19 males, died in the CNP in the last fiscal year. The CNP has more male rhinos in the park. 

“The male rhinos fight when new one enters into their territories. Such fights, which take place during mating season, often result in deaths,” said Dr Kamal Gaire, senior veterinarian at the CNP.  

According to the rhino census of 2015, the CNP is home to 605 of the total 645 rhinos in the country.