Experts urged to reduce animal deaths in floods
July 7th, 2012 - 7:42 pm ICT by IANSGuwahati, July 7 (IANS) Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain Saturday said the government had asked experts to work out a mechanism to reduce animal deaths during floods.
“Floods are a natural phenomenon. Every year, the (Kaziranga) national park gets flooded. However, we have asked people involved with wildlife preservation and protection to see if we can workout a mechanism to reduce animal casualties,” the minister said.
Floods hit Kaziranga June 26 and almost the entire park was flooded. On June 29, the waters were flowing 1.44 metres above the danger level.
The park is still flooded but the waters are flowing below the danger mark, the minister said.
The national park lost 559 animals in floods this year including 14 one-horned rhinos, an elephant and many other species. A total of 475 Hog Deer also died.
“The park witnessed severe floods in 1988, 1998, 2004 and 2008. While we lost 1,203 animals in 1988, 652 died in 1998. This year, we have lost 559 animals,” Hussain said.
He appreciated the effort of the locals in rescuing wildlife.
Kaziranga, spread over 860 sq km, is a UNESCO world heritage site and famous for one-horned rhinos. According to the rhino census of April this year, the park has 2,290 one-horned rhinos.
- Assam floods: Park rangers work non-stop to safeguard wildlife - Jun 29, 2012
- Assam's one-horned rhino population rises by 250 - Apr 09, 2012
- Assam wildlife group protests removal of rhino's horn - Mar 25, 2012
- Uttar Pradesh national park inundated - Aug 23, 2011
- Rhino census to be held in Assam from March 15 - Feb 28, 2012
- Rhino killed in Assam park - Aug 24, 2012
- Two poachers shot dead in Kaziranga - Dec 13, 2010
- Two orphaned rhinos from Kaziranga to be released in Manas - Mar 10, 2012
- Rhinos number in Assam's Orang, Pabitora up - Mar 20, 2012
- One-horned rhino killed in Kaziranga park - Oct 28, 2010
- Four Kaziranga rhinos to be released in Manas - Feb 19, 2012
- One-horned rhino poached in Assam - Jul 02, 2012
- Animals flee flooded Kaziranga park - Jun 28, 2010
- One-horned rhino killed in Assam - May 23, 2012
- 'Lack of political will behind conservation woes' (With Image) - May 19, 2012
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