46 rhinos sighted at Dudhwa National Park

The headcount exercise was carried out by forest officials, and experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) from March 15 to 17.

As many as 46 one-horned rhinos were sighted in Dudhwa during a recent survey, officials said. The headcount exercise was carried out by forest officials, and experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) from March 15 to 17.

An official, however, said the gender of six rhinos could not be ascertained, and added that the WII experts took DNA samples from the rhinos for molecular analysis. (Sourced)

Deputy director of Dudhwa National Park (DNP) Rengaraju Tamilselvan said, “Among the 46 rhinos, 40 were spotted in the 27 sq.km area of the rhino rehabilitation area-one (RRA-1) in the Sonaripur range and six in the RRA-2 in the Belrayan range.”

“Seven teams--five in RRA-1 and two in RRA-2--were engaged for the exercise and they patrolled the rhino area on elephant backs to carry out the counting work,” he added.

The official, however, said the gender of six rhinos could not be ascertained, and added that the WII experts took DNA samples from the rhinos for molecular analysis.

Biologist Vipin Kapoor, who also took part in the exercise, said it was carried out by dividing the entire area in grids measuring 5x5 kms.

The DNF deputy director, WII scientist Samrat Mandal, WWF expert Amit Sharma and biologists Vipin Kapoor and Apoorva Gupta led the headcount exercise. (Deo Kant Pandey