Cow Becomes National Animal of Nepal

A newly-adopted secular constitution in Nepal has anointed the cow as the country’s national animal. The Asian nation has a majority population of Hindus—who consider bovines as sacred animals—which had an influence on this constitutional amendment. “Now, the animal has constitutional protection, and cow slaughter has also been banned,” Krishna Prasad Sitaula, general secretary of Nepali Congress, said. “This provision had been removed from the first [Constitutional Amendment] but we brought it back.” The one-horned—also known as Indian—rhino was also considered as an option for national animal of Nepal.