Kathmandu, August 17

The government is preparing to send a team to China for observation of rhino habitats by next week.

Though the State Forestry Administration of China had invited a Nepali team from 15 to 21 August to observe the rhino habitats in Shanghai, Hangzhou and nearby areas, the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation prepared for the visit only recently.

The government had begun the process of gifting two pairs of endangered one-horned rhinoceros two weeks ago, nearly a month after the Cabinet took a decision to this effect.

The Cabinet had decided to gift two pairs of one-horned rhinoceros to China on July 10.

Under-secretary of Foreign Aid Coordination Division at the Forest Ministry, Ishwori Paudel, said a secretary level meeting had decided to send Ramchandra Kandel, chief conservation officer of Chitwan National Park, Kamal Gaire, senior vet at CNP and a customs based under-secretary from Ministry of Finance to China this week.

He said the forest ministry has also asked the Ministry of Finance to give the names of participants for the observation trip.

The team will be finalised once the names of participants are finalised.

“It may take at least one week for the team to leave for the observation of rhino habitats in China” he told The Himalayan Times.

According to the forest ministry, Chief Conservation Officer of Chitwan National Park has been selected for the visit as he has vast knowledge about rhinoceros and their habitat.

Similarly, a vet from the CNP will also take part in the visit and gather information regarding animal health and customs based authorities to assist in matters of customs during the gifting of rhinos to China.

According to the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, it has already received an official email from the State Forestry Administration of China, inviting Nepali conservation officials to look for a proper habitat for the rhinoceros.

Various technical formalities need to be fulfilled in order to gift the rhinos to China after habitat identification.

Deputy Director General at DNPWC Maheshwor Dhakal said four rhinoceros would be picked from Chitwan National Park as gift to China.

As per the 2015 census, there are a total of 645 rhinos in Nepal. Of them, 605 are in Chitwan National Park alone.

During the China visit of former forest minister Agni Sapkota in January, then prime minister KP Sharma Oli had issued instructions to forward the process of gifting one-horned rhinoceros to China.

Chinese Forest Minister Zhang Jianlong and other Chinese officials had requested the Nepali side to gift the rhinos.

According to conservationists, gifting of the rhinos to China would open the process for future collaboration in wildlife conservation between the two countries.

This is the first time since 2007 that the government of Nepal has decided to gift wild animals to other countries.