The Hindu : Front Page : Rhino calf, hog deer drowned in Kaziranga

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Wednesday, Sep 03, 2008
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Rhino calf, hog deer drowned in Kaziranga

Sushanta Talukdar

Pabitora sanctuary also submerged in Brahmaputra waters

— PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR

A group of one horned rhinoceros takes shelter in a highland area inside the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in the flood-hit Morigaon district of Assam on Tuesday.

GUWAHATI: A rhino calf and a hog deer were drowned in floodwaters inside the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) while another hog deer was run over by a vehicle on National Highway 37 as more areas of the world heritage site were inundated by the Brahmaputra on Tuesday.

Over 60 per cent of the national park area is submerged.

Floodwaters have also submerged 90 per cent of the Pabitora Wildlfe Sanctuary in central Assam’s Morigaon disrict, forcing rhinos and other wild animals to shelter in the woodland of the park located at a higher altitude. Pabitora has the highest density of rhinos in the world, five in every square km of its core area.

Worrying factor

Confirming the deaths, KNP Director S.N. Buragohain told The Hindu that frontline staff of the park also recovered the carcass of two adult rhinos, which died due to age.

While flooding of park areas and migration to highlands were a regular phenomenon in Kaziranga, park authorities were more worried about fleeing animals being run over by speeding vehicles on the national highway, particularly during night, he said.

Speed barriers erected

Park volunteers were creating awareness among drivers of the need to be careful and to adhere to the speed limit. Speed barricades were also erected.

Pabitora sanctuary range officer Mukul Tamuly said a 24-hour vigil was being maintained to ensure that the flood-affected animals were protected in any eventuality.

The sanctuary has a three-km road-cum-highland and two pavilions for rhinos and other animals to take shelter if water level rises further. Pabitora has a total of 81 rhinos, which mostly roam around the 16-sqkm core of the total sanctuary area of 38.83 sqkm.

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