Written by: Manoj Kumar Ojha
Doomdooma: Heavy and continuous rainfall over the past several days has inundated vast stretches of grasslands inside Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam’s Tinsukia district, forcing its rare population of feral horses onto National Highway 37 on Saturday.
The sudden shift from wild floodplains to a busy roadway has raised fresh concerns over wildlife safety and habitat stress in Upper Assam.
As floodwaters submerged their traditional grazing chapories, two horses were seen cautiously feeding along the roadside, navigating speeding vehicles and human activity—an unusual and risky adaptation driven by survival. The incident reflects a growing pattern in which extreme monsoon conditions are pushing wildlife beyond protected boundaries.
Unlike typical wildlife displacement stories, these horses carry a unique historical lineage. Believed to be descendants of abandoned cavalry and transport animals from the World War II era, they have evolved into a self-sustaining wild population over nearly 80 years, closely tied to the flood-driven ecology of the Brahmaputra basin.
A field researcher monitoring the herd said, “What we are witnessing is not just movement, but a forced negotiation between wilderness and infrastructure.”
A forest staff member expressed concern, saying, “Highways were never part of their habitat, yet floods are redrawing those boundaries faster than we can respond.”
Experts warn that repeated flooding, shrinking grazing zones, and human interference are steadily increasing the herd’s vulnerability.
With their numbers estimated between 150 and 200, even minor disturbances could have long-term ecological consequences.
Conservationists are now stressing the urgency of creating adaptive strategies, including safe corridors and flood-resilient habitat zones, to ensure that these “living relics of history” are not pushed further into danger.
The sight of feral horses on NH-37 is no longer just rare—it is a warning signal of a changing landscape where climate pressure is beginning to rewrite the rules of coexistence.