ITAHARI: Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) has begun the census of the world's rare and endangered species, wild water buffalo from Tuesday.

The census of the bovidae animal has been conducted every two years as per the policy of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.

According to the earlier census, there were a total of 432 wild buffaloes in the KTWR.

Number of wild species might have declined in the reserve after 13 wild buffaloes were trans-located to Chitwan for protection of its descendants as per the action plan of the Department.

Barahakshetra Municipality Mayor Neelam Khanal and Sunsari Chief District Officer Gopal Prasad Parajuli jointly inaugurated the three-day census of wild buffalo in KTWR.