250 animals perish in Kaziranga floods

250 animals perish in Kaziranga floods

IANSUpdated: Thursday, May 30, 2019, 01:41 PM IST
article-image
Nagaon: A young one-horned rhino trying to rise above water on the National Highway from the flooded grassland in Kothari village near Kaziranga National Park in Nagaon district of Assam. PTI Photo(PTI7_29_2016_000264B) |

Jorhat (Assam) : Nearly 250 animals, including at least 20 one-horned rhinos, have died in heavy floods in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park even as foresters managed to rescue over 200 animals, including nine rhino calves, officials said on Monday.

The death toll in the World Heritage Site, after river Brahmaputra unleashed its flood fury, was said to be 242 on Monday.

“Among the dead rhinos, most were calves. Forest teams managed to rescue at least nine rhinos, 90 Hog Deer, one Jungle Owlet, three Swamp deer, one Fishing Cat and one python,” Subhasis Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Kaziranga told IANS on phone.

He added that the animals were rescued using boats, some manually and some with the help of tranquilisers. “No tiger deaths have been reported so far, nor have we found any tiger carcasses. Some tigers have reportedly moved towards human habitations,” an official told IANS.

The dead animals included 20 rhinos, 185 Hog Deer, nine Swamp Deer, four Wild Buffalo, 12 Wild Boar, two Hog Badger, a Pelican, six Sambar deer, two porcupines and a python.

However, officials said it was not only the floods that accounted for the death of animals.

Fourteen Hog Deer died after being hit by vehicles on National Highway-37, while eight animals, including four rhinos and a Hog Badger, are said to have died due to natural causes.

Of those rescued, many, including one rhino and 60 Hog Deer, have been released back in the wild, officials said.

Over 70 elevated platforms — or man-made highlands — in the park also helped save many animals. However not all the elevated platforms could withstand this year’s floods.

“We are planning to get more of these highlands in the park,” Das said.

Officials said the floods had begun to abate now, but their next fear is “fodder scarcity” that would push the animals to southern Kaziranga in search of food.

“The floods are followed by fodder scarcity for some time, then animals start moving towards the Karbi-Anglong Hills situated at the southern part of the forest,” Das said.

He added that since the southern boundary of the national highway is at a height, animals often move to take shelter there during floods. This also invites poachers.

RECENT STORIES

Mira- Bhayandar: Notorious Thief Who Broke Into Mobile Shop Robbing High- End Phones; Arrested In...

Mira- Bhayandar: Notorious Thief Who Broke Into Mobile Shop Robbing High- End Phones; Arrested In...

'To Browbeat And Bully Others Is Vintage Congress Culture': PM Modi On Lawyers' Letter To CJI

'To Browbeat And Bully Others Is Vintage Congress Culture': PM Modi On Lawyers' Letter To CJI

Gujarat: Real Estate Developer Fights Off Group Of Attackers In Ahmedabad (Viral Video)

Gujarat: Real Estate Developer Fights Off Group Of Attackers In Ahmedabad (Viral Video)

Mansukh Mandaviya Utilises Artificial Intelligence To Streamline Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Campaign

Mansukh Mandaviya Utilises Artificial Intelligence To Streamline Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Campaign

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress To Release Its Election Manifesto In Jaipur

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress To Release Its Election Manifesto In Jaipur