Fleeing rhino falls prey to poachers

“Though the rhino was killed, the poachers could not remove the horn,” Sarma told The Indian Express, pointing out that the forest guards narrowly missed nabbing the culprits. This was the third rhino killed by poachers outside the national park in 2007. Poachers have also killed 10 rhinos inside the park during the year.

Almost 80 per cent of the 1,000-sq km Kaziranga National Park was affected by the third wave of floods that hit the state last week. But the waters have been fast receding since Saturday, the director said. A large number of animals, including rhinos, buffaloes, elephants, tigers and deer had crossed National Highway 31 and taken shelter in the Karbi Anglong foothills located on the southern fringe of the park. “Even today, our men have spotted at least 40 rhinos inside tea gardens, villages and even on the roadside,” Sarma said.

Sarma said though the Southwest monsoon was likely to wind up in a week’s time, Kaziranga was heading for an acute fodder crisis in the next few months. “New grass was just beginning to grow after the second wave of floods had receded, when the third wave struck,” Sarma said, adding it would take at least four to five weeks after the flood-waters recede for fresh grass to grow. “Till then the animals will find it tough to find fresh grass. With about 1,600 rhinos and hundreds of deer and buffaloes, it is going to be a difficult task for us,” he said, adding that the animals are likely to stray out to nearby villages and enter paddy fields.

“That is the time poachers normally take advantage, because our guards can’t protect rhinos outside the park,” Sarma said.