Bokakhat: Rising waters of the river Brahmaputra, which crossed the danger mark a few days ago at the Kaziranga National Park, has been receding since the past 4 days. “So far we have recorded the death of 30 animals due to the floods, some of which were either to road accidents and some in the Park itself . These do not include rhinos, tigers or elephants,” park director, N.K. Vasu said. However, one Rhino was poached and its horn removed, he said.

The annual flood, which is natural phenomenon, that sustains the grasslands of the Kaziranga national park(KNP), however, has not caused as much havoc as it is capable of. “In 1988 and 1998 we suffered so many casualties because the embankments broke and the water came in a surge. This year, with the help of other departments, we ensured that the bunds and embankments held, which is why even though the water levels are higher than those recorded earlier we are still better off,” Mr Vasu said. However, he added that this was just the beginning, “we still have August to go.”

The 430 square kilometre Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site and home to approximately 1500 of the estimated total population of 2000 Greater one-horned rhinos (rhinoceros unicornis), besides many other species of mammals and birds. As the Brahmaputra floods annually the animals move to the hills of the neighbouring Karbi Anglong district
for safety. However, this corridor is bisected by a national highway and speeding vehicles annually kill a large number of animals. Last year a pregnant tigress was found lying in a pool of blood in a hit and run case. In 1988, as many as 1000 animals dies, while ten years later 652
animals, including 40 rhinos were recorded dead.

Hog deer revived after treatment

“No animals were received today. So far, we have already received 16 animals of which 15 were hog deer and one python. We treated and released 9. 2 have been kept under observation while 5 had died on arrival, before any medical intervention,” Rathin Burman, Centre Manager, Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) said. Burman, who is monitoring, the floods on an hourly basis, saw large numbers of hog deer and elephants crossing the national highway that bisects the corridor to the hills. “Although the water is receding, this is only the beginning and we are being kept so busy that I don’t think we have had time even to eat or drink,” he said.

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