Three one-horned rhinoceros have been found dead in Bardiya National Park in the past two weeks, raising serious concern over the safety of the endangered animal in the protected area. A male rhinoceros was found dead in a forested part of the park on Monday by park's security guards. The body of the rare animal was badly mutilated with its horns and tails missing. Park officials said that it is a work of illegal poachers who are taking advantage of the dent in the park's security arrangement. They said that the rhinoceros was found dead nearby the river bank on the western part of the park, and is one among the three that were found dead in the park with their horns and tails also missing. There are an estimated 30 to 40 rhinoceros in the park. Rhinoceros horns are used as an aphrodisiac in traditional medicines as it is believed to have qualities that can enhance a person's sexual powers. The horns are also used to make expensive show piece or daggers. Similarly, rhinoceros tails are also used as an important ingredient in traditional medicines thought to cure many form of ailments. After Nepal Army security personnel deployed for security in the park were barred from patrolling the jungle with weapons with the start of the peace process, the wildlife here are increasingly getting susceptible to hunters and poachers. The park's security officers say that as hunters are usually armed, they are finding that they are also putting their life at risk during these patrol missions. There have been incidents where park officials have even been attacked by armed men involved in poaching in the area. Illegal hunting and poaching coupled with forest fire has pushed the population of rhinoceros including other rare animals in the country's national parks and wildlife conservation area almost to an extinction. Bardiya National park spread in an area of 968 sq. km is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai. Thickly covered with sal trees and carpeted with grass and savannah , the park has the second largest tiger population after Chitwan National park. In another report, a Nilgai or blue bull, another wild animal on the verge of extinction in Nepal, was found dead in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Conservation Area. Now only 6 Nilgai remain in the conservation area. The animal also features in the list of rare wild animals in Nepal. nepalnews.com ag Apr 29 08