The poaching of two single-horned rhino in Kaziranga National Park in Assam, this week has sparked serious concern from both the Centre and State. While the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered a probe into the incident on Friday, the Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar called for stringent action against the poachers and asked the State Government to immediately recruit people in the Rhino task force to curb the menace.
Gogoi’s reaction came on Friday, a day after the poachers killed two one-horned rhino within the park; one on last Sunday night and the other on Wednesday night. The horns of both the animals were found hacked. A total of seven one-horned rhinos have been killed so far during the first quarter.
Incidentally, one of the incidents of poaching occurred during the visit of Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of the Cambridge. Much to the embarrassment of the State Government one of the rhinos was killed, barely ten hours after the royal couple returned from a jeep safari in the park.
Meanwhile, the Assam Chief Minister directed the Additional Chief Secretary TY Das, to probe into the details of the circumstances leading to the killing of two rhinoceros, fix up responsibility on the part of those to be held accountable for protecting rhinos and submit a report at the earliest.
He also called upon the Rhino Special Task force to intensify operations against poachers and their accomplices. They were asked to evolve long term strategies, to tackle rhino poaching by taking into confidence local communities, NGOs and other stakeholders, involved in wildlife protection.
Interestingly, the twin incidents of rhino poaching almost coincided with the recent approval of the Union Cabinet on the adoption of the statutes of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) to increase cooperation between South Asian countries to curb poaching and wildlife crimes.
Even the recently concluded third Asian Conference on Tiger Conservation, stressed on zero poaching with trans boundary cooperation between the highest levels of the respective Governments.
Javadekar reminded that the Ministry has undertaken series of initiatives against the poachers countrywide. Many of them have been killed, and such steps will continue. According to him, the poachers today are armed with latest weapons and ammunitions to target the endangered species, “They are using AK47s. This is a serious issue. We have already created rhino task force. Unfortunately the State Government has not recruited as yet,” he said.
Ideally trained local youths can be recruited in the protection force, Javadekar further said, adding that the expenses will be borne by the Centre.