Chief Conservation Officer Bed Kumar Dhakal said that 18 vultures were found dead on Thursday and Friday when the Piparaiya area was opened to locals living around the reserve area for Khada Khadai or cutting the thatch grass.
The reason behind the death of such a large number of vultures at a single time is not revealed yet. He, however, added that as two cows were found dead near the site, smugglers could have put pesticides in the dead cows.
"The vultures that consumed the carcass of the cows could have died because of the poison," he added.
He added further tests of the dead vultures would be carried out by sending the samples to Dhangadhi and Kathmandu. RSS
Related story
Vultures return to Shuklaphanta National Park
