One rhino from the Chitwan National Park was found dead in the western area of the park on Sunday morning.

The national park’s patrol team found the carcass of the pachyderm on the banks of Narayani River in Bhangaleka near Kujaili Range Post under Amaltari area around 6 am yesterday.

According to Assistant Conservation Officer Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, Information Officer at the Chitwan National Park, the latest death brings the death toll of the rhinos to seven in the last six months.

The park informed the rhino may have died due to natural causes. They have ruled out foul play since the horn and hoofs of the 18-year-old rhino were found intact.

In December 2022, two rhinos from the national park were found dead in a span of two days.

Of them, a 15-year-old female rhino succumbed to her injuries from a territorial clash with another rhino. The second rhino, a six-month-old male, had died after being attacked by a tiger.

One-horned rhinoceros is an endangered species and is sought after by poachers for its horns.

Despite a significant decrease in poaching incidents in recent years, the number of rhinos dying due to natural causes, in-fighting, and other accidents has increased.