Kaziranga: Flood waters have entered Kaziranga National Park forcing animals to take shelter on highlands and Park authorities are on alert to protect the wildlife from deluge and poachers.
The flood waters have entered Burapahar and Bagori ranges of the world heritage site in upper Assam forcing the animals there to take shelter on high platforms built for them, the park sources said.
They are being given the special food sent by Wildlife Trust of India by the authorities with the help from NGOs.
Some of them were also moving towards the highlands in neighbouring Karbi Anglong district, the sources said.
Altogether 125 boats have been kept ready, they said, adding some of them have already been pressed into service for patrolling.
Besides, 45 domesticated elephants of the forest department and neighbouring areas will be used for the purpose.
Special measures to prevent poaching had also been taken with the personnel in the 150 anti-poaching camps on alert.
The elite Assam Forest Protection Force commandos deployed in the Park have been put on round-the-clock patrolling duty along with forest officers, forest guards and home guards.
Poachers attempt to take advantage of the floods to attack the displaced animals or those coming out of the Park looking for shelter on the highlands, the sources said.
Sign boards have also been put up on NH 37 along the Park for vehicles to control their speed in the area to prevent hitting wild animals crossing over to Karbi Anglong hills across the road, they said.
KNP, the 430 sq km habitat of the one-horn Great Indian Rhinoceros and variety of other fauna and flora, had experienced the worst floods last year when over 500 hog deer and variety of wild animals, including one-horned rhinos, were killed.
Meanwhile, Assam government has directed all the 27 districts to take flood management measures and put in place the emergency response system in view of the rise in the water level of Brahmaputra and its tributaries in Dhemaji, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Karimganj, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts, the sources added.
A report from Jorhat said an antelope from flooded KNP was killed and another injured by a speeding vehicle when they were crossing NH 37 along the world heritage site.
The two antelopes were hit when they came out of the Park’s Burapahar range last night to cross to the highlands in neighbouring Karbi Anglong district through the Mirimihi animal corridor, KNP sources said.
The injured animal was sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation near KNP. (PTI)