Kaziranga National Park counts 110 more carcasses

Rising floodwater has brought a threat to the wild animals in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) which has been entirely under rain water on Friday reports The Times of India.

KNP is a world heritage site and home to over 2000 one-horned rhinos where 27 more animal carcasses, including three rhinos. This takes the toll to 110 which includes 10 one-horned rhinos.

Due to the floods, a large number of rhinos, deer and elephants are trapped. Nine of the 10 dead rhinos had died due to drowning as the 430 sq km park remained under water since July 13.

Lack of treatment and exhaustion are the reasons of death of these animals.

Apart from rhinos, deer also dabbled through deep water and 77 hod deer have already died due to drowning on the other hand, rhino calves found it difficult to survive.

Seven sambar deer, six wild boars, five swamp deer, two porcupines, one elephant and one wild buffalo drowned when the water level in Kaziranga had crossed four feet at several places in the park.

The tigress which went out of the flooded KNP to the local resident's house on Thursday has safely moved to the park area, said Rohini Ballav Saikia, Kaziranga divisional forest officer.

She was likely to have been disturbed by the busy road and ended up seeking refuge in the house, which is located near the highway. "She was very exhausted and had a nice day-long nap," Saikia told The Times of India.

 “The drop in water has made us accessible to areas inside the park which was not possible when the flood was at its peak. Majority of the animals died of drowning as they could not escape the flood. The bulk of the casualties comprised calves,” Saikia added.

The flood situation on Friday had significantly improved. KNP officials said at present about 65% of Kaziranga remains under water. However, 53 out of 199 antipoaching camps remain inundated.