Three female rhino calves that were rescued during the devastating floods that hit Kaziranga National Park in 2016 and subsequently hand-raised at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) were translocated to Manas National Park (MNP) on Friday for eventual rehabilitation into the wild.
CWRC is a wildlife rescue, care and rehabilitation facility jointly run by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Assam Forest Department.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The three calves were rescued from floodwaters in Haldhibari, Deopani and Sildubi areas adjacent to Kaziranga by forest staff and CWRC’s Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) with the help of local people.
They are now being shifted to a pre-release boma in Manas and, after a period of careful monitoring, will be released into the wild.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“The translocation of this rhinos will add to the existing gene pole of Manas national park and will also open up more avenues for research in terms of behaviour of these calves in the new landscape,” Rohini Ballave Saikia, DFO, Kaziranga National Park told reporters.
CWRC’s lead veterinarian Dr Panjit Basumatary, veterinarian Dr Samshul Ali and a team of animal keepers have all cared for the three calves from the moment they were brought to the centre.
“It is a matter of great pleasure for us at CWRC that with the whole-hearted support of the Assam Forest Department and countless wildlife lovers and well-wishers, we have been able to hand-raise these rescued calves. Now, we are on the verge of releasing them back to the wild in Manas National Park, following our established rhino rehabilitation protocol. All three rhinos are in good health and have been ear-tagged for easy identification following their release,” Dr Basumatary said.