Second pair of rhinos to be gifted to China on August 16

CHITWAN, Aug 3: The officials of Chitwan National Park (CNP) are preparing to send the second pair of rhinos to be gifted to the Government of People’s Republic of China on August 16.

Chief Conservation Officer of the Chitwan National Park, Bed Kumar Dhakal, said Chinese officials are preparing to take the gifted rhinos adding that the Chinese side is working to arrange a cargo plane and receive approval from the airport.

The male rhino of one and a half years has been named as ‘Solti’ while the name of two-year-old female is ‘Mitini’.

The rhinos are being sent to Kathmandu on August 14, two days before their departure to China.

Currently, the rhinos are kept in an enclosure called pit booma at the premises of the National Trust for Nature Conservation in Sauraha after taking them under control.

The officials of the national park said that there would be no problem in translocation of the rhinos since they were familiar with the humans.

Like before, the national park veterinarians, technicians and assistants would be sent this time too together with the rhinos. The veterinary doctors and technicians, who had gone to gift the first couple of rhinos, have already returned while the assistants are yet to arrive home.

During his visit to China, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had pledged to gift two pairs of rhinos to China.

Earlier, the Government of Nepal had sent the first pair of rhino to China on July 12.  RSS