Spurt in rhino poaching in Kaziranga

Guwahati, Apr 17 (UNI) Poaching once again raises its ugly head in Kaziranga National Park, the famous habitat of one-horned Asiatic rhinoceros in Assam.

A senior wildlife official confirmed that poachers shot dead as many as six precious rhinos in the century-old wildlife sanctuary sine January this year, sending the alarm bell ringing.

The poaching was on the decline in the Park since late 1990s because of pro-active wildlife policing in coordination with NGOs and villagers living in the periphery of the rhino abode.

Poachers killed three rhinos in the Park in 2003 and seven in 2005, while the figures used to cross 50 mark in early 1990s. The rhino population in Kaziranga Park is estimated at over 1850 as per the latest rhino census carried out last year.

A source informed that unprecedented shortage of wildlife staff in the national park could be one of the reasons for rising trend of poaching. Over 100 posts of wildlife personnel were lying vacant in the park which now has an area of over 1000 sq km, including 430 sq km of core area.

Besides the rhino, the park is inhabited by Royal Bengal Tiger, different species of deer, wild buffaloes, pachyderms any many other animal species. Several indigenous and migratory bird species are also found in the park throughout the year.

UNI