GUWAHATI: Northeast India’s top-bracket biodiversity conservation and research organisation Aaranyak (a member of the IUCN) in association with International Rhino Foundation (IRF) on the occasion of Independence Day on Saturday morning gifted one new 4WD Bolaero Camper and two new Bajaj Pulsar 150cc Neon Motorbikes to Karbi Anglong District Police to enhance their efforts to check wildlife crime in the hill district of Assam that has intricate bio-geographical link with the famed rhino abode of Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Karbi Anglong District. Debojit Deori received the vehicles from Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, CEO of Aaranyak and Asia Coordinator of IRF in presence of Rahul Dutta, IRF’s wildlife crime monitoring consultant. Two Additional SPs of the district, Indranil Baruah and Hemanta Baruah were also present on the occasion.
“Aaranyak has marked that Karbi Anglong area is a strategic location and many a times wildlife offenders use Karbi Anglong to plan and execute their nefarious activities to kill rhinos in Kaziranga National Park. We do aware of the proactive role being played by Karbi Anglong District Police to check the activities of wildlife criminals and recent arrest of culprits involved in killing a rhino in eastern range of Kaziranga National Park which is very much praiseworthy,” Dr Talukdar said.
Earlier, Aaranyak provided six Bajaj Pulsar motorbikes to Golaghat Police in association with NABU International and International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and two motor bikes to Darrang Police to check wildlife crime in the respective districts.
In association with International Rhino Foundation, Aaranyak also provided one 4WD Maruti Gypsy and a speed boat to Orang National Park (ONP) in 2018 as well as one 4WD Maruti Gypsy, two Mahindra 4WD Thar vehicles and one 4WD Bolero Camper vehicles to Kaziranga National Park during 2019-2020.
Over the years Aaranyak has realised the important role that Assam Police have been playing to check rhino poaching in Assam. Therefore, in consultation with senior police officers of few selected Districts where rhino related crimes have been recorded, Aaranyak is trying to complement the efforts of Assam Police by providing two-wheel or four-wheel vehicles to help police personnel mount vigil against wildlife criminals.