The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation is investigating into the phenomenon that is leading to untimely deaths of one-horned rhinoceros inside Chitwan National Park.

Since 1998, at least 269 park rhinos have died of unknown causes; 38 of them died in the last two years alone. Park officials and conservationists are not sure what caused their deaths.

To find out what is going on, the department has formed a committee under ecologist Laxman Poudel with Dr Naresh Subedi of National Nature Conservation Trust, Dr Kanchan Thapa of World Wildlife Fund, Dr Bhagwan Dahal of Zoological Society of London, and Bed Kumar Dhakal and Dr Kamal Gaire of Chitwan National Park.

The committee will study the park rhinos,their habitat and diet habits, among others, to find if there are any peculiarities that are potentially dangerous to their health and have gone unnoticed so far. Besides, the team will also review the previous study reports on these rhinos and their behaviour.

Poudel said they plan to submit their preliminary study report to the department within one week.

The latest census has put the number of rhinos inside Chitwan National Park at 605.