The poachers have struck again in Assam’s protected areas and killed a one-horned female rhino in the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary.
Officials of the sanctuary said that the rhino was killed in the southern part of the sanctuary. “The poachers have probably killed the rhino last night, chopped off its horn and escaped,” they said while adding that this is the second rhino that has been killed since January.
The incident led to wide-spread public protests in the Morigaon district, where the sanctuary is located. Several organisations have burnt the effigies of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain protesting against the poaching.
“A patrolling party spotted the carcass today morning. We have already started an operation in search of the poachers,” the officials said.
The Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, which covers an area of 38.80 square/kms area, has close to 100 rhinos and it is one of the famous tourist destination for the foreign as well as the domestic tourists due to its proximity with Assam’s capital city Guwahati-only 40 kms.
While two rhinos have been killed in Pobitora sanctuary, over 23 rhinos have already been killed in Assam this year.“We have been demanding the government of Assam to deploy more forest guards in Pobitora wildlife sanctuary. While the government has been stressing more on Kaziranga national park, wildlife sanctuaries like Pobitora are suffering due to the neglect by the government,” said Dhaniram Bora, a local who took part in the protest programme today.
It may be mentioned here that the highest number of poaching cases took place in Assam last year, when the poachers had killed 41 rhinos including 27 in Kaziranga, five in Manas national park, three in Orang national park, two in Pabitora wildlife sanctuary and four in other areas.
Assam Forest and Environment Minister Rockybul Hussain had recently informed the state assembly that a total of 193 one-horned rhinos have fell victim to poaching in Assam since 2001.