Rhino found dead Assam; forest officials suspect death due to drowning

The body has been taken for further examinations and officials said that they are investigating poaching angle, if any, behind the death

An adult rhino was found dead in Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on Tuesday, forest officials said.

So far, three adult rhinoceros have been found dead in the state this year with two dying this month alone. (Representative photo)

The body of the female rhino was found floating by the officials who said that it could be a case of drowning.

So far, three adult rhinoceros have been found dead in the state this year with two dying this month alone, forest officials said.

Speaking on the Pobitora rhino death case, officials said that the water level in the surrounding areas of the wildlife sanctuary has risen due to floods thereby increasing the risk of drowning.

“Some more wild animals have died due to floods in recent times and this female rhino might have died after failing to cross the flood water,” an official said.

The body has been taken for further examinations and officials said that they are investigating poaching angle, if any, behind the death.

On August 6, a body of an aged female rhino was found at Kohora range near Kaziranga National Park.

According to officials, a team of patrolling forest rangers on the banks of Diphlu river near the Salmara forest area noticed the body and recovered it from that area.

Jatindra Sarma, an official from Kaziranga National Park said, “According to initial investigations, it looked like the rhino had died due to old age because its horn was also intact, which suggests that this was not a poaching case.”

Similarly on August 20, another body of an 18-year-old male rhino was found in Assam’s Manas National Park with forest officials calling it a natural death.

Vaibhav C Mathur, director of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve said that they examined the body and it has been found to be the case of a natural death.

“Our officials have confirmed, it was a male rhino around 18-years-old and most probably died due to infighting,” he added.