The ongoing floods in Assam have taken a heavy toll on wildlife, with 31 wild animals reported dead at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP), according to park authorities. The flood’s impact on the park’s diverse ecosystem has been severe, affecting both animals and infrastructure.
Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, reported that 23 hog deer drowned in floodwaters, while seven others died under care. Despite the grim situation, rescue efforts have been robust, with 82 wild animals saved by the park authority and state forest department.
“Twenty wild animals, including 15 hog deer, one rhino calf, one otter pup, one jungle cat, and two scops owls, are currently under treatment,” Ghosh said. She added that 31 rescued animals have been successfully treated and released back into the wild.
While the flood situation in the park has shown slight improvement, 95 out of 233 forest camps remain submerged. The flooding has affected camps across various ranges, including Bagori, Kaziranga, Agratoli, Burapahar, Nagaon Wildlife Division, and Biswanath Wildlife Division.
In response to the crisis, authorities have implemented traffic restrictions on National Highway 715 to ensure the safety of wild animals during this vulnerable period. Forest guards, forest battalion personnel, and Assam police have been deployed both inside and outside the park to monitor the situation.
The flood’s impact extends beyond Kaziranga, with Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora describing the situation in Morigaon district as “grim.” He reported three fatalities in the district, adding to the rising death toll across the state.
As of the latest reports, floods in Assam have claimed 46 lives, with eight people drowning on Wednesday alone. The disaster has affected over 16.25 lakh people across 29 districts in what is being described as the second wave of flooding.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Fire & Emergency Services, administration, Indian army, and paramilitary forces working tirelessly. On Wednesday alone, these teams rescued 8,377 people from flood-affected areas.
(Inputs from ANI)
