In a remarkable success story, a hand-reared rhino which was rehabilitated in Manas National Park as part of the reintroduction programme has given birth to a female calf in the wild. This is the first such birth in the country.
Ganga, the then three-month-old female calf, was rescued by forest officials from floods in Kaziranga National Park in July 2004. She was shifted to Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga, where she was hand-reared by animal keepers. CWRC is being run by International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI).
“In 2007, Ganga was moved to the wild in Manas as part of the rhino translocation programme. She gave birth to a female calf in the park recently,” said Vivek Menon, Executive Director, WTI, and Regional Director, South Asia, IFAW. “The newborn is a healthy female and has been named Dharti, meaning earth, as a tribute,” he added.
Dharti’s birth marks a milestone in the Rhino Rehabilitation Project, a joint venture of the Assam Forest Department and IFAW-WTI. “This is very special for all of us. The situation of rhinos across the world has been depressing, with so many poached for their horns in the past year. In this seemingly-bleak scenario, the instances like this are what keep us optimistic and spirited to do more,” Menon said.
Dr Rathin Barman, Senior Adviser, WTI, and CWRC incharge, while recalling the rescue of Ganga, said, she was severely injured and traumatised, and our veterinarians and animal keepers worked hard to save her. Her ability to give birth exemplifies the balance of wildlife welfare and conservation that CWRC is known for, he said.
Manas Park had lost all its rhinos by the 1990s as the area reeled under severe civil conflict. It was then declared a World Heritage Site in danger. A number of initiatives, including the reintroduction, have been implemented here since peace was largely restored in early 2000s. It was only in 2011 that the park regained its World Heritage Site.
“Ganga was one of the first rhinos to reach Manas. This birth marks yet another crucial milestone in our efforts to bring Manas back to its former glory,” said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head, IFAW-WTI.
Kampa Borgoyari, deputy chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council that runs the administration in BTAD, congratulated the frontline staff who saved Ganga from drowning, and the entire team of veterinarians, animal keepers and biologists, for successfully hand-raising her and finally releasing her in Manas. “We are still facing difficulties in wildlife conservation, but we are also achieving successes. While we continue to fight against the difficulties, we will also use these moments to celebrate and vow to do more.”