Nawalpur: The Chitwan National Park (CNP) collected over Rs 100 million of revenue from mid-July to mid-December in the current fiscal year. A total of 72,461 tourists visited the park in that period.
According to Abhinash Thapa Magar, information officer and conservation officer of the CNP, the foreigners surpassed the domestic tourists in terms of visiting the park. The number of foreign tourists visiting the CNP during the reporting period was 33,730, while domestic tourists were 32,880.
Magar added that 5,851 tourists from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries also visited the park during that period.
The records of the park showed that revenue worth Rs 106.71 million was collected from domestic and foreign tourists visiting the park in the last five months.
Meanwhile, during this period, the park has released 41 Ghariyal crocodiles reared at the Ghariyal Breeding Center, Kasara, in the natural habitat. According to the officials of the park, 40 females and one male were released into the Rapti River at three different times.
According to Magar, the park has been holding meetings and preparing an action plan in collaboration with the locals for wildlife protection and poaching prevention.
Stating that the number of rhinos has increased in the western part of the park, he said preparations have been put in place to relocate them to the eastern region.
The relocation, he argued, is necessary for the conservation of rhinos in view of threats posed by flooding in the Narayani River.
Also present in the interaction as part of the preparation for the internal relocation of rhinos was senior ecologist at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Haribhadra.
Acharya, Chitwan National Park Office Senior Conservation Officer Dr. Ganesh Panta, battalion commander of the new Gorakh Battalion, Divisional Forest Officer, chairs of the Buffer Zone Users Committees, tourism committee officials, as well as businesspersons and representatives of the local level.
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