Reported By: Niloy Bhattacherjee
Last Updated: March 27, 2023, 12:01 IST
Guwahati [Gauhati], India
As many as 191 rhinos were poached in Assam between 2000 and 2021 (Source: News18)
Around 1,400 personnel are involved in anti-poaching activities in Kaziranga, 200 in Manas, 150 in Orang and around 70 in Pobitora
In the first poaching case at Assam’s Kaziranga National Park in 2023, a dead carcass of a rhinocores was found at the Kathpara camp under Western Range Bagori by authorities on Sunday. After 2022 became the first zero poaching year at Kaziranga since 1977, this was bad news for the authorities. Last year, officials were credited or their sincere, concerted and coordinated efforts of the state’s forest and police departments for zero poaching.
The carcass found at around 4:30 pm in Bormer beel and its horn was missing. There was a cut mark in the nasal bone of the rhino and the horn was taken away by miscreants, authorities said.
“It is evidently clear that the rhino was killed by a poacher about 6-7 days before, and its sex yet to be ascertained as the carcass was found floating in water. The details can be revealed after evening,” said park authorities.
As many as 191 rhinos were poached in Assam between 2000 and 2021. In 2013 and 2014, 27 rhino deaths each were reported. In 2020 and 2021, two rhinos each were killed.
Before 2022, the last time no poaching of rhinos reported, was in 1977. The Assam police have adopted the policy of zero tolerance towards poaching and a special task force against was created in June 2021.
However, for the Nagaon district of Assam which shares a major part of the Kaziragan National Park, this is the first poaching in 4 years. The last rhino was poached in the Bagari range, and the Nagaon police was duly rewarded for the successful adoption of the zero tolerance policy ever since.
India’s first zero rhino killings were recorded during the tenure of former Nagaon Superintendent of Police Shankarbrata Raymedhi.
The task force constituted to contain poaching was successful to identify the modus operandi of the poachers, the nexus that operated in Kaziranga, manas, Orang and Pobitora.
Watch towers with CCTV cameras were erected at specific locations and armed commandos from police and forest department were equipped with sophisticated arms, wireless sets, drones and night vision cameras. Besides, patrolling was more coordinated and intensified on full moon nights when poachers think they have better chances of sighting and shooting rhinos.
Around 1,400 personnel are involved in anti-poaching activities in Kaziranga, 200 in Manas, 150 in Orang and around 70 in Pobitora.
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