Kaziranga National Park, 31 Aug 2020:

Post successful wildlife rescues during the Assam floods, Wildlife Trust of India’s Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation with the support of IFAW and Assam Forest Department is now a crèche of seven rhino calves.

While the newest entrant remains under close observation of our trained vets, the female rhino calf rescued from the floods on July 14th and had been under care and treatment for a month in a large animal nursery has been introduced to the herd of five rhino calves rescued last year in the Centre’s natural paddock on August 21st .

Though initially she remained isolated from the five older calves in the paddock, she has taken to their company. She is often seen frolicking with them in a motley gang that also has an orphaned young wild buffalo in the paddock.

The paddock is a large enclosure, with an undulating terrain with hillocks and wallowing ponds for the rhinos. Its mixed vegetation cover is maintained to simulate the natural environment of the rescued rhinos who shall spend the next two to three years in this enclosure before being released back to the wild.

“The new female rhino calf has spent ten days in the large animal paddock of CWRC with five older rhinos and a buffalo. Our observation is that the animal is comfortable with the ambience in the paddock. We shall continue observing for any kind of behavioural change in all the six rhino calves for their betterment,” said Dr. Panjit Basumatary, the WTI veterinarian.