Cow becomes national animal of Nepal

Kathmandu: Cow, which is sacred to Hindus, has been declared the national animal of Nepal in the country's newly-unveiled secular Constitution.

Nepal yesterday adopted a new Constitution after years of political wrangling.

"As for the pro-Hindus, we have made cow our national animal. Now, the animal has constitutional protection and cow slaughter has also been banned. This provision had been removed from the first CA but we brought it back," Krishna Prasad Sitaula, General Secretary of Nepali Congress who served as a key interlocutor in Nepal's peace and Constitution-drafting process, told Kathmandu Post.

Some lawmakers have proposed the one-horned rhino as national animal.