The Assam Government on Tuesday decided to rush a 100-member team of the elite Assam Forest Protection Force for the protection of rare one-horned rhinos in the Kaziranga National park, a world heritage site.
“A 50-member AFPF team has already left today while another 50 members will be despatched before October 6,” Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain told reporters here.
Confirming that 39 rhinos were killed —11 by poachers and 28 due to flood — this year, he said the rhino population had increased in Kaziranga tremendously, and the “endangered” tag has been officially removed. However, Hussain said the number of rhinos has risen to 2,505 in the State at present, with 2,290 in Kaziranga alone because of better forest management.
“The AGP and BJP are raking up the issue of bad forest management which will harm the prestige of the park which is a pride for the people of Assam,” Hussain said.
Stating that a CBI team is camping in the Park to probe the killing of animals, Hussain said six .303 rifles and 73 ammunition rounds have been seized while three poachers were killed by forest guards and 14 arrested this year.