Sep

Kaziranga Flood Update: Eastern Swamp Deer, More Rhino Calves Rescued

28-07-2016-cwrc-kaziranga-floods-swamp-deer-rhinos2

_{A CWRC animal keeper carries one of the two eastern swamp deer rescued from flood waters on July 28}

CWRC, Kaziranga National Park, July 28, 2016: Since the update this morning on the six rhino calves rescued by IFAW-WTI and WTI-JTEF Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) teams during the past two days, two more rhino calves and two eastern swamp deer have also been rescued from the Kaziranga floods and brought to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC; run by IFAW-WTI with support from the Assam Forest Department).

The two eastern swamp deer, a sub-adult male and a female fawn, were rescued in separate incidents along National Highway 37 where they had sheltered from the flood waters. An MVS team found the male, struggling and in pain from a dog bite, on the highway near the village of Durgapur in the Central Range of Kaziranga. The female also had a dog bite injury and was rescued from the Diring Charali area, again in the Central Range of the park. Both are currently undergoing treatment at CWRC.

A female rhino calf was rescued from the water-logged Sildubi area to the north of NH37, under the Bagori Range of Kaziranga. The calf had taken shelter inside bushes that were surrounded by water, at a spot just by the highway. Crowd management was a major issue but the rescue was completed with the support of locals and frontline forest staff.

The second rhino calf rescued today, a male, had sought shelter under a tree near Haldibari in the Central Range of Kaziranga. Since the spot was just off the highway, traffic had to be stopped while the rescue was conducted by CWRC’s MVS team, comprised of WTI Deputy Director Dr Rathin Barman, veterinarian Dr Samshul Ali and animal keepers Ramen Das and Lakhiram Das. “The animal was under a tree surrounded by water with the highway running alongside. It was a tough rescue but we managed to capture the calf on the second attempt, and transport him to CWRC without sedation”, Dr Ali explained.

_{MVS team members try to rescue a rhino calf trapped in flood waters near Haldibari just off NH 37}

Both rhinos have been housed at the centre’s Large Animal Nursery for stabilisation and further care. Eight rhino calves have now been rescued from the floods in Kaziranga and brought to CWRC over the past three days. Including the one previously resident rhino calf, the total number of rhinos at the centre currently stands at nine.