Assam floods: 44 anti-poaching camps in Kaziranga National Park inundated

At the Kaziranga national park, up to 44 anti-poaching camps have been inundated by floodwaters.
According to the park management, 15% of Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve are underwater.
The flood waters of the Brahmaputra river have inundated 44 of the park's 223 anti-poaching camps, according to authorities, who have also taken necessary precautions to safeguard wildlife.

Out of the 44 camps, 14 fall under the Agratoli wildlife division, eight under Biswanath wildlife division, six under Kaziranga and Burhapahar division, and five under Bagori division. Four wild animals - a leopard and three hog deer - lost their lives.

The Bokakhat sub-divisional magistrate has imposed various restrictions and regulated the speed of vehicles in the stretch of NH-37 starting from Panbari animal corridor to district/sub-divisional western boundary near Bagori in order to protect human lives as well as the lives of wild animals during an emergency situation and in light of a likely food situation in Kaziranga National Park.
Ramesh Gogoi, DFO of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, said, "The animals are yet not come out of the park, but we are on alert."

"From May 12, four animals including a leopard died in the vehicle hit incidents. The water level is now increasing and if the water level of Brahmaputra river will increase more then it will inundate more areas of the park," Gogoi said.

Vehicle speed limit restricted to 40-km/hr in Kaziranga National Park

The Kaziranga National Park authorities have fixed a maximum speed limit of 40 km per hour for vehicles in the sanctuary with an objective to avoid wildlife deaths due to accidents and allow free movement of animals, an official said on Thursday.

Six sensor-based cameras have been installed in nine designated animal corridors of the park, stretching from Rengali to Borjuri, in Assam to detect the speed of vehicles, he said.

The cameras have been installed along the National Highway 37 that passes along the southern boundaries of the Kaziranga National Park, the home of the famous one-horned rhinos, and these will become operational from Friday, Eastern Assam Wildlife Division's DFO Ramesh Gogoi said.

The authorities used to regulate vehicle speed limit during floods in Assam as animals come near the NH 37 in search of dry land with many crossing the road to reach highlands.

Speeding vehicles on the highway have claimed the lives of several animals, particularly when the park is flooded and the animals cross the road to reach highlands.

(With inputs from ANI/PTI)