Guwahati, Oct 3: Mangement of the wildlife habitat characterised by presence of a vast spread of grassland, woodlands and dotted with numerous wetlands, is a tough challenge faced by the authority in Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP &TR) in Assam.
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) through its partner in India, Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) has gifted a Swaraj four-wheel tractor along with a lifter and cutter to Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP &TR) in Assam on October 1 in response a request made by the Park authority. The wheeled machine will go a long way in assisting the park authority in habitat management besides other works.
The keys of the tractor along with accessories were handed over to Pradipta Baruah, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Mangaldai Wildlife Division and Field Director of Orang Tiger Reserve by Aaranya’s Finance Secretary Jimut Prasad Sharma in presence of Rajib Hazarika, Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Mangaldai Wildlife Division and the Park Ranger Dibya Jyoti Deuri.
Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General and CEO of Aaranyak as well as Senior Adviser to the IRF on Asian Rhinos was also present while the tractor was being handed over.
The handing over the tractor coincided with the on-going celebration of Wildlife Week and opening of the Orang Park for tourists for the forthcoming tourist season.
Dr Talukdar informed that the tractor, the lifter and the cutter would be instrumental for the Orang Park authority for habitat management, clearing of roads inside the national Park besides carrying heavy materials to newly-added 200 sq. km. area in the National Park that is home to 125 one-honed India rhinos as per the latest census report.
The Orang National Park spread over an area of 78.81 square kilometres, lies on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River within the districts of Darrang and Sonitpur in Assam. Pachnoi river, Belsiri river and Dhanshiri River border the park and join the Brahmaputra. The park is also referred as a mini-Kaziranga because of its rich diversity of wildlife species.