As many as 144 persons involved in poaching endangered animals were arrested in Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park area during the fiscal year 2004/2005, a ranger of the park said Friday.

Among those arrested on charge of poaching tigers, leopards, one-horned rhinos and other animals during the fiscal year ended on July 15, 28 persons are still in detention, 54 persons have been released on bail and 62 were freed after being penalized by the authority, the ranger of the national park Bishnu Lamichhane told reporters.

The newly formed task force in the wake of increased poaching of the one-horned rhinos in the park in mid-southern Nepal, has made remarkable success in controlling poaching within three months, he added.

The number of rhinos were found to have declined from 544 to 372 in the past five years in the park, a 175-square km world heritage site, which houses most of Nepal's endangered one-horned Asiatic rhinos.

"Forming a task force is a big step for us in controlling the poaching of endangered animals," he added.

Source: Xinhua