Assam News

One-horned rhino dies in Manas National Park; authorities refute poaching

Sentinel Digital Desk

GUWAHATI: Hours after the carcass of a rhino was recovered at Bhuyanpara range near Rupohi camp of Manas National Park, officials claimed that the wild animal had a natural death refuting any chances of any poaching attempt.

Vaibhav C. Mathur, director of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve said, “It was a natural death. We have confirmed it. The horns were also recovered.”

The one-horned rhino, whose carcass was found on Saturday, was shifted to Manas from Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in 2013. “It was a male rhino around 18 years-old. Most probably the rhino died due to infighting with other wild animals. We are looking into it,” Mathur said.

According to the forest officer, this was the third natural death of a rhino in Manas National Park this year. One rhino fell in the hands of poachers in the month of June. Notably, a suspected rhino poacher died in a police encounter recently in Chirang district who had been arrested earlier along the Indo-Bhutan border. (IANS)

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