Kathmandu, July 12
Nepal on Thursday finally handed over a pair of one-horned rhinoceros to its northern neighbour China.
Nepal had agreed to gift four rhinos to China around two years ago. The first pair among them will leave for Beijing today whereas the other pair will follow next year.
At a special function organised in Kathmandu today, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli handed over the responsibility to take care of one-and-half-year-old Bharda (male) and two-year-old Rupasi (female) to Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Yu Hong.
Earlier on Tuesday, they were brought to Kathmandu from the Chitwan National Park and kept at the Central Zoo.
According to National Trust for Nature Conservation official Ram Kumar Aryal, the rhinos will be kept at parks in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
So far Nepal has gifted 26 rhinoceros. As per a recent census, there are 645 one-horned rhinos in Nepal. Of them, 605 are in Chitwan.