By V.E.K.Madhushani, Jadetimes News
Natural Disaster Devastates Endangered Wildlife Population
More than 130 wild animals, including at least six rare rhinos, have died due to severe flooding at Kaziranga National Park in north eastern India, officials report. The park, located in Assam, is experiencing its most severe deluge in recent years.
Among the deceased animals, many of whom drowned, are 117 hog deer, two sambar deer, a rhesus macaque, and an otter. This devastating event recalls the 2017 floods when more than 350 animals perished due to floods and vehicle collisions during their migration through animal corridors to the highlands.
Officials have successfully rescued 97 animals from the floodwaters. Of these, 25 are receiving medical care, while 52 have been released after treatment. Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to the world's largest population of one horned rhinos, which were nearly extinct at the turn of the century. The park boasts over 2,400 one horned rhinos and serves as a tiger reserve and habitat for elephants, wild water buffalo, numerous bird species, and the endangered South Asian dolphins found in its rivers.
In a poignant incident last week, an 18 month old rhino calf sought refuge at a house in a village near the park and was later rescued by the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, according to the Press Trust of India.
Assam has faced devastating floods due to torrential rains, with major rivers in the state flowing above the danger level. This year's rains have inundated large parts of the park, submerging thousands of villages. Over 60 people have lost their lives, and more than two million have been displaced by the deluge.
The floods have caused extensive damage to roads and infrastructure, resulting in significant loss of crops and livestock. Officials have warned of further rain, with water levels in the Brahmaputra River, which runs through the state, expected to rise in the coming days.
In response, hundreds of relief camps have been established across Assam to shelter the displaced. Flooding and landslides are common during the monsoon season in north eastern India and neighboring countries, but the impact on both human and wildlife populations this year has been particularly severe.
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