The government of Nepal has announced that two one-horned Indian rhinoceroses will be donated to China following a request from the Chinese Forest Minister after a state visit.
According to reports, Chinese officials have offered to fund a new forensic laboratory in Bhaktapur and establish an international centre for community forests in exchange for the rare mammals. The deal has alarmed environmentalists, who claim that Nepal is squandering its natural heritage in exchange for Chinese investment in its struggling economy. Around 645 one-horned rhinos are thought to survive in Nepal, around one fifth of the global population.
Read more: kathmandupost.ekantipur.com