CHITWAN: Census of the one-horned rhinos, a rare wildlife species, could not take place this fiscal year due to a budget crunch.

The census has been taking place every four years. The last counting was done in 2015. However, it could not take place this year as the government did not allocate any budget for the census of the endangered species.

In lack of budget allocation, researchers tried to search for donors. However, adequate funds could not be collected from the donors and therefore the census could not be taken forward.

Director-General of the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Department, Mann Bahadur Khadka, accepted that insufficient preparation along with lack of budget were factors hindering the census that had to be taken this year.

He added that the census would take place after fund for the same is allocated in government's budget of the coming fiscal year. The Rhino Action Plan states that the census should take place every four to five years.

Likewise, Chief Conservation Officer of Chitwan National Park, Bed Kumar Dhakal, said that the census was supposed to start in the first week of April, adding that it wouldn’t be possible this year.

The last census in 2015 counted a total of 645 one-horned rhinos in the country, of which 605 were from Chitwan National Park. One-horned rhinos are also found in Parsa, Bardia, and Shuklaphanta National Parks.

It can be noted that the flood in Chitwan two years ago had swept away wild animals including the rhinos and taken them to the Indian side. As many as 10 rhinos were rescued and brought back to the national park. Three rhinos are still known to be across the border.

Change in habitat has also led to the death of rhinos, among other natural causes. This fiscal year, 41 rhinos have been reported dead due to natural reasons.

Conservationists are of the opinion that census of the one-horned rhinos is crucial from a conservation point of view.