Patna, Sept. 3: Forest and wildlife officials of India and Nepal will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on conservation, protection and rescue of animals, buoyed by the successful operation on to save rhinoceroses which were swept away by the surging floodwaters down from the Chitwan National Park in the neighbouring nation to West Champaran district last month.

The Telegraph had, in a report in its September 2 edition headlined "Rhinos from Nepal swept away by floods", highlighted how the deluge in Nepal brought the animals to India.

A joint team of forest officials and experts from Bihar and Nepal has so far managed to successfully rescue seven rhinos, while operations are on to recover three more trapped in places that are still inaccessible because the roads, bridges and culverts damaged by the floods.

Forest officials estimate that around 15 rhinos were swept into Bihar in the devastating floods brought by the river Gandak (known as Narayani in Nepal) that hit the state and the Himalayan country from August 12. There was no word on the remaining rhinos.

Additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Bihar, Bharat Jyoti said: "The joint operation being conducted by Bihar and Nepal officials has safely rescued seven rhinos, while work is in progress to rescue three more. Our officials are leading the mission because the rhinos are in our territory. The Nepal officials are providing tranquillisers, enclosures and other facilities to safely take the animals back."

Asserting that the "marathon operation" was going on smoothly despite the fact that the bulky animals were displaced and distressed, Bharat praised the way Nepal responded swiftly to coordinate with the Bihar officials after getting information about the rhinos being swept away in the floods.

"The joint operation is a great opportunity for us and a progressive step in mutual cooperation between the two countries to save wildlife. Officials from both the countries are slated to discuss trans-boundary arrangements on wild animals, biodiversity and conservation later this month in New Delhi. Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve in Bihar and Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh are contiguous to the forests in Nepal," Bharat added.

The two forest officials who were injured after being charged by a rhino in distress are out of danger.