Chitwan, May 23 -- horned rhinoceros runs under streetlights in the heart of Bharatpur as onlookers pull out their mobile phones to film the scene. Others step back in alarm.

As night falls, such scenes around Bharatpur's busy Chaubiskothi Chowk are no longer rare. What was once considered an extraordinary sight has become an increasingly common intrusion by a conserved animal species.

The shift has prompted a broader question in Chitwan: Have rhinos entered the city, or have human settlements expanded deeper into their habitat?

Chitwan National Park remains Nepal's primary habitat for the greater one-horned rhinoceros and draws thousands of domestic and international visitors every year. But the growing presence of rhinos beyond prote...