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They have declined alarmingly in numbers because of poaching for the horn, which is wrongly considered an aphrodisiac, and especially because their habitat is being destroyed by grazing by domestic stock.
The world's zoos have been asked not to purchase or accept rhinoceroses from Nepal until the species recovers from its present serious danger of extinction. The appeal has been made by the Survival Service Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, which reports that the Nepalese government has been asked to see that no further captures of rhinoceros take place. Nepalese government has been asked to see that no further captures of rhinoceros survives.
The Nepalese Government has approved the formation of a National Park at Chitawan, which will include most of the remaining rhino range, and grazing will be prohibited in the park. If this is successful there is hope that the rhino population will build up again.
