This year, the floods in Assam have submerged nearly 95% of Kaziranga National Park. While the toll on human life and resources is massive, the floods hit the region’s wildlife too. Through all this, park officials and teams from International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) have been rescuing these distressed creatures. Rupa Gandhi Chaudhuray, Senior advisor, Strategic Vision, Communications & Campaigns, Wildlife Trust of India, shares this update from ground zero.
Kaziranga: the latest situation
As of Wednesday, 169 of the 199 forest camps have been inundated. A total of 52 animals have been rescued. These were mostly hog deer, a swamp deer and a sambar. Of these, 42 have been released back to the wild and two rhino calves under six months of age and five hog deer are at the rescue centres run by the IFAW, WTI and the Assam forest department.
Report: Manas Pratim pic.twitter.com/meqwXmi748
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 15, 2019
How Assam floods hit Kaziranga’s wildlife
Each year, the southwest monsoon brings the Brahmaputra to spate, flooding the Kaziranga national park. Though devastating to occupants of this landscape, they are absolutely essential to the thriving ecosystem of this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site. The water fills up the numerous ‘bheels’ (water bodies) across the park. They regenerate the soil, carrying silt from the Brahmaputra and maintain the grasslands and forests.
Elephants are good swimmers and are the first to leave. Rhino calves get separated from their mothers while negotiating deep water and strong swirling currents. Exhausted or injured, they get left behind, to be found and rescued. Since they are too young to fend for themselves, they are brought to the rescue centre where they are hand-raised under wildlife rehab protocols. Bottle-feeding on formula milk, weaning, learning to forage are all stages of rehab. They are radio-collared when found fit to release and then translocated to a boma in Manas National Park (that we are restocking after its wildlife got decimated due to civil unrest). Here, they stay for about a year to acclimatise and are finally released to the wild. (Our released rhinos have given birth in Manas, some twice over, and added to the population there, thus bringing it out of the In-Danger tag given by UNESCO in 2012.)
Field staff of Kaziranga are one of the sincerest and I am proud of working with him.#AssamFloods #Kaziranga #Floods #Rhino #Rescue #AssamForest #Conservation #GuardiansOfNature #Wildlife #KazirangaNationalPark pic.twitter.com/mjd5mrUilZ
— Arun Vignesh C S, IFS (@arunvigneshcs) July 16, 2019
Hog deer are the worst hit by floods. They dash across the road and tend to get hit by vehicles. They don’t swim long distances so many drown. They also suffer from ‘capture myopathy’: if caught and handled inappropriately, they die. Unless injured, all hog deer we rescue are released on the spot or within a day or two of treatment.
When water eliminates human #wildlife boundaries around #Kaziranga, team @action4ifaw #WTI work with #AssamForestDepartment on #wildliferescue #AssamFloods @kaziranga_ @arunvigneshcs @vivek4wild @AzzedineTDownes + pic.twitter.com/xPEiFTjqpy
— Wildlife Trust India (@wti_org_india) July 15, 2019
Animals fleeing to higher ground–the Karbi Anglong hills–have to cross the national highway 37 that skirts the boundary of the park. Earlier, they would fall prey to poachers. But strict enforcement has helped curb this menace. The threat from speeding vehicles remains to a large extent even with the time-card system (no entry during certain hours), and a fine of Rs5,000 if caught speeding. We have records of at least ten hog deer succumbing to vehicle hits in the first two days of the 2019 floods.
The very survival of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve depends on the protection of its corridors along with NH 37 which connects the park with Karbi Anglong hills. Karbi hills are the natural highland for the animals of the Kaziranga National Park. (Video: Bitupan Kolong) pic.twitter.com/UeNG299LLP
— Rohit Choudhury (@Rohitskaziranga) July 16, 2019
How the rescuers prepare
Our team conducts joint pre-flood awareness camps in fringe villages and schools with the Assam Forest Department, and local NGOs. Local communities have been trained to respond to emergencies, handle animals and administer first aid. They are now aware of correct handling techniques, and manage to calm the distressed animal on location until our rescue team reaches. Floods also lead to disease transmission. That’s why our veterinary team also visits villages post floods and helps with cattle vaccination. The forest department has increased the number of man-made highlands within the park for animals to escape the swirling waters. Time-card system for vehicles on the highway with strict enforcement, stopping traffic at night when animals cross safely, ensuring a convoy system for vehicles with 20-minute breaks to facilitate animal crossings are all introduced by civic authorities with the forest department.
A good shower after being pulled out of flood waters, veterinarian to examine for injuries and a time for stablisation at the #wildliferescue centre #CWRC run by @wti_org_india and @action4ifaw with #AssamForestDepartment
Life of a rescued #babyrhino #Kaziranga #AssamFloods pic.twitter.com/k8d9EjDmgi
— Wildlife Trust India (@wti_org_india) July 17, 2019
— Wildlife Trust India (@wti_org_india) July 14, 2019
How you can help
- Report an animal in distress: The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) is a central hub serviced by satellite Mobile Veterinary Service Units (MVS) in Eastern Assam, North Bank and Western Assam. Their teams are responding to rescue calls 24×7 by boat or vehicles. If you spot an animal in distress around Kaziranga, call the CWRC helpline on 6001852950.
- Donate: Contribute to the relief and rehabilitation of these animals with a little cash. To donate to the WTI, click here.
- Or just spread the word: Egg the volunteers. Share this story or amplify their efforts through your social media channels. Your retweets and shares may also help bring in more funds and resources to the cause. Instagram | Twitter | Facebook