Kaziranga Hit by Poachers Again Lost Two Rhinos on a Single Day

In this article, Nava Thakuria informs us that the poaching of one-horned rhinoceros has resurfaced in the world-famous Kaziranga Forest Reserve in Assam, northeast India, in the first month of 2024, with two rhinos being killed simultaneously in its Agaratoli forest range. However, there is a silver lining as 2024 brought good news to wildlife enthusiasts: two rhinos were sighted in Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary after many decades. The author presents various rhino statistics in this regard.

- Nava Thakuria

The poaching of one-horned rhinoceros returned to the world famous Kaziranga Forest Reserve in Assam of northeast India in the first month of 2024, as two rhinos were killed simultaneously in its Agaratoli forest range. The on-duty forest staff recovered the carcass of a single horn rhino near Maklung forest camp of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, while making their routine patrolling on January 22, 2024. The precious horn, as it happens usually, went missing. It was apprehended that the adult rhino, often killed for its horn that fetches a few million dollars in the illegal wildlife market, was poached on the previous night.

The second rhino carcass was detected by the elephant patrol party on January 26 within a kilometre distance. The multiple killings of rhinos on a single day have taken everyone by surprise as this was unexpected and clearly the poachers have improvised their poaching tactics, said an officer of the forest reserve. He also added that a number of forest officials and guards along with police personnel were engaged in the investigation process to nab the culprits and recover both the rhino horns. Their prompt efforts resulted in detention of a suspected poacher (identified as Joggu Pegu, a resident of Mohuramukh in Golaghat district) and recovery of a horn with an AK series assault rifle within days. The second horn was yet to be recovered.