Assam floods: 114 wild animals, including rhinos, drown in Kaziranga National Park

Guwahati: The devastating flood in Assam's famed Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has claimed the lives of 114 wild animals while 95 others have been rescued till Saturday, an official said. The animal mortality in the KNP has increased from 77 till Friday. The dead animals include four rhinos and 94 hog deer due to drowning in the KNP and 11 others during treatment.

The forest officials rescued 86 hog deer, two each of sambar deer and scops owl and one each of a rhino calf, Indian hare, otter, elephant and jungle cat, the KNP official said. Currently, 34 animals are under medical care while 50 others have been released after treatment, the official said. A hog deer was also killed after being hit by a speeding vehicle on a highway that runs through the KNP. This is the worst deluge in terms of animal mortality in recent years in KNP.

An 18-month-old rhino calf which took shelter in the house of one Pushpanjali Sharma at Baghmari was subsequently rescued by members of the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation. 'Our community is at the heart of our conservation efforts. These collaborative efforts in challenging times are what truly make us Awesome Assam', Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X about the incident.

Out of the total 233 camps in the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, 66 were inundated as against 75 on Friday, the official said. Forest department employees including security personnel stay in camps inside the national park to conduct patrolling for the protection of flora and fauna.