How A Drained Rhino Losing His Way From Kaziranga Shows The Damage Caused By Assam Floods

For weeks now, the sweeping devastation by incessant rains and massive flooding in northeast India¡¯s biggest state, Assam, has left the state reeling - both humans and animals, are in disarray.

Around 40 million people across 28 of the 33 districts have been affected, while the death toll has reached 76. The floods have not spared anyone - wildlife too, has been hit hard. The famous Kaziranga National Park is 95% inundated.

AP

A picture of a drained rhino seen resting near NH-37 at Bagori Range after it strayed out of Kaziranga, shows the damaged caused by the floods.

Twitter

The video of the incident shared by park authorities shows the rhino resting on NH37. All precautions are being taken to ensure its safety and a plan is in place to drive it back into the park.

A rhino have strayed out near bandar dhubi area at Bagori Range yesterday and taking rest near NH37. The DRIVE OUT Operation is being carried out to guide the rhino to park. Our staffs along with @nagaonpolice are guarding the area. Drive Slow.@ParimalSuklaba1 @RandeepHooda pic.twitter.com/3avQXbqtHF

¡ª Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (@kaziranga_) July 18, 2020

The animals are having a tough time looking and swimming to safer areas. As per a report in India Today, 96 animals including eight rhinos have drowned in the flood-hit Kaziranga.

According to the Kaziranga National Park authority, eight rhinos died after drowning in the floodwater.

Twitter

Time cards have been issued to the vehicles plying on NH-37 for the safety of wild animals; as they have started moving towards higher ground crossing the national highway adjacent to Kaziranga.

While floods are an annual occurrence in the state of Assam, the past two years have proven especially worrisome for the national park. Almost the entire park has submerged for the second year in a row, putting the survival of many endangered species at peril.