(IN): Kaziranga becoming a death-trap for rhinos

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Link: http://www.sentinelassam.com/sentinel_en/state0.htm*

 

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* Kaziranga becoming a death-trap for rhinos*

 

* *Kaziranga, Sept 17: Kaziranga National Park, the home of the world famous

one-horned rhino, is gradually turning into its death trap with 17 rhinos

killed so far this year.

As the authorities are preparing for the post-flood management within the

park, another rhino was killed by poachers on Saturday.

Baffling police and forest officials, policy makers and the forest

department as a whole, incidents of killing of rhinos in this sanctuary

continue to mount. While 14 rhinos were killed by poachers, three others

were drowned during the flood.

" We have done everything within our capacity, but the poachers have been

successful once again " , rued Forest Minister Rockeybul Hussain while being

angry at being unable to stop poaching.

According to sources, five rhinos were killed outside the park area in

different parts of upper Assam as they were believed to have left the park

in search of food last year during the drought period.

Some moved out after the flood inundated most of the Park area.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Bankim Sharma said the poachers had killed

one rhino in Rangajan section of Hatikhuli Tea estate on Saturday but quick

movement of the guards compelled them to flee leaving the horn intact.

The rhino horn did not matter for the guards but failure by poachers to take

away the horn means that more killings are in the offing.

Chief Conservator of Forest Mohan Malakar was worried over the rise in rhino

killings. He had apprised the ministers of the situation and urged them to

consider strengthening the number of guards at the park. Manning the 440

square kms pristine forest under 15 feet deep water turned out to be a

difficult proposition for the forest protection force.

Both the forest and police authorities were unanimous that all the poachers

came from Manipur, Nagaland and Karbi Anglong with Manipur topping the list

in the largest number of poachers, as they could smuggle the horn out of the

country through the Moreh region along the Indo-Myanmar border.

According to the 2005 census, there were 1,855 rhinos in Kaziranga, which is

also a World Heritage Site declared by the UNESCO.

Considering the killing frequency, the intelligence agencies are trying to

ascertain whether terrorist groups could be involved in poaching, as rhino

horns could be a good barter for arms consignment, some forest officials

here have opined.

According to sources in the forest department, a rhino horn weighing one kg

could fetch US $10,000 dollars in the international market.

Organised poachers kill rhinos for horns, which many believe contain

aphrodisiac qualities, besides being used as medicines for curing fever,

stomach ailments and other diseases in parts of South Asia.

Rhino horn was also much fancied by buyers from the West Asia who make

handles of ornamental daggers from them. It has been found that for a

variety of reasons rhino horns are in great demand throughout the Arab

world. (UNI)

 

 

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