Assam Floods: Rare rhinos among 132 animals killed in Kaziranga National Park
A total of 132 animals, including the rare one-horned rhinoceroses, have lost their lives at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Bokakhat in Assam due to drowning and other reasons on account of the severe floods in the state, according to the Assam government. Dozens of other animals, including deer, buffalo and porcupines, have also died – many due to drowning, although others were hit by vehicles as they attempted to escape the floodwaters.
The Kaziranga park in Assam is home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinos, which faced extinction at the turn of the century. But this year’s monsoon rains have almost 85% of the park under water. The floods have killed more than 200 people and displaced millions in Assam, Nepal and Bangladesh. Kaziranga park, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, is home to at least 2,400 one-horned rhinos.
Floods have wreaked havoc in Assam`s various districts for the fourth time this year.
Normal life has been disrupted in Nagaon district due to floods caused by continuous rainfall in the region. People have moved their belongings and animals to temporary shelters.
Not just humans, the impact of the flood of wild animals is also significant. Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (KNP/KTR), a World Heritage Site is reeling from two waves of flood which is considered necessary for the smooth functioning of its ecology and grasslands.
As per the latest report from the KNP authorities, 85 percent of the park is submerged and 135 out of 223 forest camps are inundated. The animals which have been rescued include 14 rhinos, five wild buffaloes, eight wild boars, two swamp deer, 95 hog deer, a sambar, three porcupines, and a Python.
Two other important protected forests of Assam, Pobitora, and Orang are also grappling with floods. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, known for having the highest density of one-horned rhino is located in the flood-hit Morigaon district.
Flooding and landslides are a common occurrence during the monsoon in north-eastern India and neighbouring countries.
But this year’s floods come as India struggles to halt the spread of coronavirus, with more than one million cases reported across the country, the world’s third-largest case load.
A total of 2,543 villages is reeling from the effects of the rising waters of the Brahmaputra, among its other tributaries, which have affected 1,22,573.16 hectares of crop.
