CHITWAN, May 4: Chitwan National Park has completed capturing all four rhinos that are to be gifted to the northern neighbor China. The park had already captured three one-horned rhinos. The fourth, a female rhino, was captured from the western area of the national park on Thursday at around 11:15 am. 

The rhino was darted and has been kept at the eastern sector office of the park in Sauraha, informed Nurendra Aryal, Information Officer and Assistant Conservation Officer of the park. 

"With the capture of the fouth rhino, the operation that begun on April 19 has now successfully completed," said Aryal. "We'll keep the rhinos in the national park for a few weeks and then send them to China."

Just two days ago, the park had captured a female rhino from Sukhibhar in the eastern side of the park. Likewise on April 28, the park authorities had captured two male rhinos from Devital and Khoriya Muhan. 

In 2016, the then government led by KP Oli had decided to gift two pairs of baby rhinos to China. The captured rhinos are of one to two years old, informed Aryal.

Nepal is one of the few habitats for the endangered one-horned rhinos. As per the census carried out about three years ago, there are 655 rhinos in the country. Among them, 605 rhinos are in the Chitwan National Park. 

The captured rhinos will be sent to China in two phases, Aryal said. "A pair of rhinos - a male and a female - would be sent in the first phase and another pair will be sent in the second phase."

China plans to keep one pair at Chimelong Safari Park at Guangzhou and another pair at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, according to park officials. About two weeks ago, Chimelong's Assistant Manager Dr Yang arrived in Chitwan to plan the process to take the rhinos to China. He has already returned to China. 

 
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