Three rare rhinos killed by poachers at Nepal national park

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Kathmandu - Three rare one-horned rhinos were killed and one was wounded by poachers in areas around Chitwan National Park in southwest Nepal in the past week, park officials said Monday.

"The forest officials found two dead rhinos at two different community forests in Chitwan while one was found dead in Nawalparasi district in the past one week," said Tikaram Adhikari, chief conservation officer of the wildlife reserve.

He said one of the killed rhinos was pregnant.

"The poachers killed the pregnant rhino and took away the horn but were unable to extract horns from the other two, while another injured rhino, shot by the poachers, is undergoing treatment and is out of danger," Adhikari said.

The population of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros in Chitwan National Park dropped to 372 in 2005 from 544 in 2000.

In 2005 seven rhinos were killed by poachers in the park, Adhikari said. The animal's horn is valued for traditional Chinese medicine in Asia.

Chitwan National Park, one of Nepal's major tourist sites, is home to most of the country's one-horned rhinos.

Agence France Presse