Toll on wildlife: Over 500 wild animals die in five months at CNP

More deaths are triggered by unnatural causes such as dog bites, electrocution, road accidents than by natural ones.

People chase away wild elephants near the India-Nepal border. (Photo: courtesy: WWF)

NL Today

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Kathmandu: Chitwan National Park (CNP) lost 554 wild animals in the last five months due to both natural and unnatural causes, according to the officials.

Out of the total, as many as 27 deaths were attributed to natural causes while 21 succumbed to domestic dog bite injuries, said Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, information officer for the CNP. 

Fighting each other, electrocution, and road accidents are blamed for the death of others. The dead animals include 32 deer, five rhinos, three gharials, three blue bulls, two wild elephants, two antelopes, two boars, two tortoises, and one leopard.

No wild animals have died from poaching during the period, thanks to an awareness program launched by the CNP, Tiwari said. (RSS)