KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari planted a tree sapling at the premises of Swayambhunath, a World Heritage Site, on Saturday.

On the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Reduction, the Head of the State planted a sapling of Bodhichitta (Ziziphus budhensis) tree at the Natural History Museum run by the Institute of Science and Technology of the Tribhuvan University and also observed the museum.

Chief of the museum Prof Dr Dharma Raj Dangol, Dr Ishan Gautam and Nirmala Pradhan apprised the President about the situation of the museum. Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Bidya Sundar Shakya and chiefs and representatives of various bodies associated with nature conservation had also planted saplings on the occasion.

A two-headed snake, a piglet with a single head but two separate bodies, an eight-legged kid, a chick with four legs, white crows, the Ramgai which has become extinct from Nepal and the fossilized jawbone of Ramapithecus have been preserved at the museum, which was established on July 18, 1975.

Chief of the museum Dangol said that they have been raising awareness about the significance of the museum for preservation of biodiversity and conservation education through mobile exhibitions, seminars and training.