Endangered 10-day old rhino calf rescued in flood-hit Assam's Kaziranga Park

The expert forest officials in the flooded Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNP & TR) rescued a 10-day old male endangered rhino calf, officials said on Wednesday.

The park authorities said that the rhino calf was rescued from the outer fringe of the central range near Mihimukh highland.

"The mother of the calf could not be traced. The calf which is weak and debilitated has been sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) for stabilisation and rehabilitation," a KNP & TR official said.

Like previous years, over 70 per cent area of the world famous KNP & TR, spanning Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Biswanath and Karbi Anglong districts, has been inundated affecting and killing the wild animals.

A park official said that eight hog deer, two swamp deer and a cap langure have been killed in the ongoing flood so far.

The official said that the KNP & TR authorities are keeping a close tab on the movement of animals that cross over the National Highway running through the park and face the risk of being run over.

India's seventh UNESCO world heritage site, KNP & TR is home to more than 2,400 one-horned Indian rhinos.

To prevent the death and injury to the animals, speed limit is strictly enforced by forest and district administration officials and penalty is imposed for any violation.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered diversion of all heavy vehicles passing through the national park till flood situation improves.

The flood situation in Assam continued to remain grim on Wednesday with around 5.74 lakh people affected in 22 of the state's 34 districts, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said.

According to the ASDMA officials, the flood situation was very critical in western Assam's Nalbari district where highest number of people (1,10,671) people were affected followed by Darrang district where 1,09,651 people were hit, followed by 1,08,327 in Lakhimpur, 65,346 in Majuli, and 33,192 in Dhemaji district were affected.

Around 40,000 hectares of crop areas have been inundated, the ASDMA officials said, adding that 1,278 villages were affected by the flood.

A total of 105 relief camps were opened in 14 districts to provide shelter to the flood-affected men, women and children.

Over 3.54 lakh domestic animals including poultry were also affected in the flood.