Seven one-horned rhinos of the ten that died inside Bardiya National Park (BNP) in the past 10 months were killed by poachers, raising serious concern over the very survival of these endangered species, reports Kantipur Daily. The remaining three rhinos had died due to natural causes, according to Fadindra Kharel, chief conservation officer of the BNP. Rampant poaching of rhinos inside the park is said to be the main cause behind the number of the endangered species going down so drastically. "The rhino census conducted last year had showed that there were 31 rhinos inside the park, but at present there are only 18 to 20 rhinos inside the park," he said. In a bid to save the one-horned rhinos from extinction and increase their number through reproduction, the government had shifted 83 rhinos from Chitwan National Park during the period between 1986 and 2002, the reports said. "After the seurity posts inside the BNP were moved elsewhere during the state of emergency, all 83 rhinos at Babai valley and Karnali riverside were killed by poachers," Kharel told the daily. Following the peace agreement, 14 security posts were installed inside BNP for the security of animals inside the park. And now 4 additional security posts are in the offing, said Colonel Suraj Giri of the Nepal Army (NA) Batallion that is responsible for overseeing the security arrangments inside the park. However, a month ago the very security personnel deployed to ensure the security of animals inside the park were found involved in poaching. On April 26, one serving Nepal Army (NA) soldier and three NA deserters were arrested in connection with the killing of a rhino inside BNP. nepalnews.com June 01 08