CHITWAN: The census of endangered Gaur (Bos gaurus) kicked off in Chitwan National Park on Monday.

A total of 14 elephants and 130 people have been deployed to count the endangered mammals in the Chitwan National Park.

The CNP has been divided into 14 zones with each team conducting census simultaneously -- from Pratappur in the eastern side to Kanamana in the west, according to Conservation Officer Nurendra Aryal.

Wildlife officials, Nepal Army personnel and mahouts will inspect the zones for three days, Aryal added.

The Gaur census is being done to coinciding with the the Wildlife Week 2073, observed from 1 to 7 of Nepali month of Baisakh every year.

Gaur census has started in the neighbouring Parsa Wildlife Reserve also.

The 2011 census had put the Gaur population at 312 in the Chitwan National Park and 21 in the Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Chief Conservation Officer Ram Chandra Kandel informed.

Kandel speculated that the Gaur population has increased of late.

Gaurs are found in eastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China, and the Malay Peninsula, according to World Wildlife Fund.