Assam floods: Over 140 animals, including 7 rhinos, found dead in Kaziranga

Since August 10, seven rhinos, 122 swamp deer, two elephants, three wild boars, two hog deer, three sambhar deer, one buffalo and one porcupine have died.

The second wave of floods in Assam has inundated 80 per cent of the 481 sq km area of the Kaziranga National Park and claimed the lives of over 140 animals, including seven rhinos.

Rhinos and a deer at the flooded Kaziranga National Park in Nagaon district of Assam on August 15. (PTI Photo)

Since August 10, seven rhinos, 122 swamp deer, two elephants, three wild boars, two hog deer, three sambhar deer, one buffalo and one porcupine died, KNP Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rohini Ballav Saikia said here yesterday.

“Carcasses are being recovered daily,” the official said.

Out of the seven dead rhinos, six drowned while one died of natural causes.

Water of the Brahmaputra river entered the KNP, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, through river Difloo on August 10, the DFO said.

Intensified water patrolling was on by KNP guards, task force, protection force along with those from NGOs, Wildlife Trust of India and forest department employees for rescuing, recovering and making assessment of species trapped or dead in the KNP, Sakia said.

Forest department and security personnel are fixing hoardings, posters, banners to restrict speed limit of vehicles on the NH-37 passing through the park between 20 to 40 km per hour, the DFO said.