Pushpa and Anjali, the rhinos sent to Koshi Tappu

Published On: September 26, 2023 04:31 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

CHITWAN, Sept 26: Two rhinos — Pushpa and Anjali - were sent to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve from the Chitwan National Park (CNP) on Tuesday.

Both rhinos were sent keeping in separate cages. Information officer at the CNP, Ganesh Tiwari, said the rhinos were sent to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve under the leadership of CNP’s Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Purja, along with veterinarians.

A team of veterinarians led by Senior Veterinarian Dr Bijay Kumar Shrestha has headed towards Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. Pushpa and Anjali were sent to Koshi Tappu after a study carried out by a technical committee showed that Koshi Tappu would become a more appropriate habitat for the two rhinos.

The technical team under the coordination of the then Deputy Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Bed Kumar Dhakal, had submitted the report after carrying out a study in this regard. They would be released in nature only after a few days.

The Department had started carrying out a study, forming a committee following the locals’ demand to bring rhinos to the Koshi Tappu from Chitwan.

Chief Conservation Officer Purja said the two female rhinos sent to Koshi Tappu were released in the Lamital area of the reserve on May 14, 2023 after taking care in Sauraha following their rescue before this.

These rhinos had separated from their mothers and were rescued from Tamaspur and Kujauli area. They have been named as Pushpa and Anjali. Pushpa's age is three years and nine months while Anjali is two years and six months old at present.

The two animals were sent to Koshi as they had been venturing into human settlement and pestering.

As per the latest rhino census, there are 694 rhinos. Pushpa and Anjali are not included in the latest census as they were rescued later.

A total of 752 rhinos have been counted throughout the country. A plan has been made to send additional male rhinos to Koshi Tappu and release them in nature after the two rhinos to be dispatched today grow up.

CNP had sent rhinos to Bardiya and Shuklaphanta national parks and also gifted some rhinos to foreign countries before this. The translocation of rhinos from CNP had started in 1986. So far 45 male and 55 female rhinos from CNP have been translocated to other national parks and abroad.

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