JORHAT/GUWAHATI: Poachers killed two rhinos and chopped off their horns as they had strayed out of flood-hit Assam's Kaziranga National Park to escape floodwaters on Wednesday. A large part of the world heritage site, about 250km from Guwahati, remains submerged.
One of the rhino's horns was cut along with its ear while the animal
was still alive. The male rhino's carcass was later found at Parkupahar
area in Karbi Anglong hills adjoining Kaziranga. Forest officials found
the carcass of the other rhino killed on Wednesday with the horn missing
at Gotonga area in Bagori range of the park. Poachers attacked the
rhino while the animal was taking shelter at an elevated place after
escaping the deluge inside the park.
The killings occurred four
days after another rhino was shot dead in the periphery of Kaziranga.
The park has lost four rhinos within the span of a week. The death toll
due to poaching has reached 14 this year.
"Poachers are always
on the prowl for rhinos during floods. When the animals move out of the
park in search of elevated ground, they became easy target for poachers.
Despite stepping up our vigilance, poachers have managed to kill the
rhinos," a park official said.
The official added that a close
watch is being maintained on five rhinos still sheltered in the forested
areas of Karbi Anglong.
This time, Kaziranga experienced the
worst floods in the past eight years. Nearly 700 animals, including 19
rhinos, perished in the first wave of the deluge in June this year. The
floods have also disturbed the anti-poaching mechanism, making
patrolling difficult.
The spurt in rhinoceros deaths has triggered protests from different organizations in the state.
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