Assam reports year’s first case of Rhino poaching: Carcass found in Kaziranga National Park

Reported by Arindam Das

Assam has reported the first case of rhinoceros poaching with a carcass of a one-horned rhinoceros found at Bagori-range in Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve yesterday (March 26).

The staff of Kathpara camp under Western Range Bagori found the rhino carcass floating in Bormer beel (Pond) last evening.

The rhino’s nasal bone had a cut mark on it and its horn had been taken away by the poachers. Besides, a bullet was found, said Ramesh Kumar Gogoi, District/Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), KNP.

It has been reported that the rhino was killed about 6-7 days ago, sources said.

The rhinoceros carcass has been sent for post-mortem examination.

The rhino’s gender has not yet been ascertained. After receiving postmortem reports, details will be disclosed. Investigation to track the poachers is on.

This comes within days of Nagaon police recovering a rhino horn from the Ambagan locality in Rupohihat area and arresting three smugglers in connection to the case on March 23.

The arrested persons were identified as Khaliluddin, Jakir Hussain, and Akbar Ali residents of the Rupohihat area.

The Kaziranga, Manas, Orang National Park, and Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary recorded zero rhino deaths due to poaching in 2022, the first time since 1977. 

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that poaching of rhinos was rampant in the past, which has now come down drastically due to stringent surveillance and other elevated security arrangements being put in by the authorities.

Copy edited by Lipika Roy