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UWAHATI: A rhino and a tiger were found dead in Kaziranga on Wednesday, barely a fortnight after the national park suffered three casualties
from among its Big Five. With the latest deaths, the tiger toll has reached 12 since November 2008, while the rhino toll has risen to six this year alone.
The rhino carcass, with its horn missing, was found floating in a water body in the Bagori forest range. "The carcass was a few days old. The horn might have dropped off as the flesh started rotting," explained Bagori range officer D Kalita. The animal was fished out from near the Bimoli camp of Bagori range.
On the other hand, the carcass of a female tiger was retrieved from the Mikirjan area in the Kohra forest range of the national park. Preliminary investigations revealed the tiger was suspected to be poisoned by villagers residing on the park fringes. Samples of the animal have been sent to the State Forensic Laboratory here for toxicological tests. The post mortem report is awaited.
On September 19, a rhino was shot dead by poachers in the Burapahar forest range and a tiger was killed, allegedly in a retaliatory attack by residents at Mohpara, outside the Kohra range. On the same day, at Dolamara in Karbi Anglong, a tusker was killed by poachers, who chopped of its trunk and tusks. Three poachers involved in the rhino killing were later arrested in Nagaon district.
Park officials said poachers were not directly involved in the latest rhino death. "This is not a case of poaching as no bullet or any other injury marks were found on the body during examination. The rhino was old, and might have died of age. Its carcass was found inside the core area where poachers do not tread. Hunters generally target rhinos when they come out of the core area," said Kaziranga divisional forest officer (DFO) D D Gogoi.
However, sources claimed poachers could also be involved. There are many secret routes used by hunters' gangs around Bagori for movement between Karbi Anglong district and Kaziranga. In August this year, a female rhino was gunned down by poachers in the Bagori range.
UWAHATI: A rhino and a tiger were found dead in Kaziranga on Wednesday, barely a fortnight after the national park suffered three casualties
from among its Big Five. With the latest deaths, the tiger toll has reached 12 since November 2008, while the rhino toll has risen to six this year alone.
The rhino carcass, with its horn missing, was found floating in a water body in the Bagori forest range. "The carcass was a few days old. The horn might have dropped off as the flesh started rotting," explained Bagori range officer D Kalita. The animal was fished out from near the Bimoli camp of Bagori range.
On the other hand, the carcass of a female tiger was retrieved from the Mikirjan area in the Kohra forest range of the national park. Preliminary investigations revealed the tiger was suspected to be poisoned by villagers residing on the park fringes. Samples of the animal have been sent to the State Forensic Laboratory here for toxicological tests. The post mortem report is awaited.
On September 19, a rhino was shot dead by poachers in the Burapahar forest range and a tiger was killed, allegedly in a retaliatory attack by residents at Mohpara, outside the Kohra range. On the same day, at Dolamara in Karbi Anglong, a tusker was killed by poachers, who chopped of its trunk and tusks. Three poachers involved in the rhino killing were later arrested in Nagaon district.
Park officials said poachers were not directly involved in the latest rhino death. "This is not a case of poaching as no bullet or any other injury marks were found on the body during examination. The rhino was old, and might have died of age. Its carcass was found inside the core area where poachers do not tread. Hunters generally target rhinos when they come out of the core area," said Kaziranga divisional forest officer (DFO) D D Gogoi.
However, sources claimed poachers could also be involved. There are many secret routes used by hunters' gangs around Bagori for movement between Karbi Anglong district and Kaziranga. In August this year, a female rhino was gunned down by poachers in the Bagori range.
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