MANGALDAI, March 25: In spite of lack of infrastructure and minimum facilities only due to the utter negligence and indifferent attitude of the state government, the staffs of Orang National Park (ONP) who have been rendering their dedicated service for conservation of the Park deserve appreciation for their achievement in the increase of the population of the one horned rhinos in the Park. This was evident from the mid-term Rhino census carried out in the Park on March 24 last, where a total of 64 rhinos were counted by the enumerators. Of the total rhinos counted during the census day, 16 are adult males, 22 are adult females, a single un sex adult, 2 are sub adult females and 7 are un sex sub adults while 11 are calves and 5 are calf up to one year of age.
For the smooth conduct of the mid-term rhino census, the entire area of the Park was divided into 17 blocks and seventeen enumerators assisted by equal number of Mahouts and forest guards on departmental elephants conducted the census on the early hours. On the previous night, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Mohan Chandra Malakar accompanied by Conservator of Forest Abhijit Rabha, DFO HP Phukan, State Forest School Principal RC Bhattacharya briefed all the enumerators consisting of six Forest Rangers, members of NGOs, media persons at the interpretation centre at the Tourist Lodge adjacent to the Park. Mangaldai Wildlife Division DFO Sukumar Momin and Park Ranger Jayanta Deka earlier gave a detailed picture of the Park besides welcoming all the participants. Mention may be made here that ONP with an area of 78.82 sq km is the only habitat of the endangered species of one horned rhinos on the northern bank of river Brahmaputra which is at the road distance of 130 km from Guwahati off the NH-52 at Dhansirighat near Rowta. Of the total seventeen blocks, the highest number of rhino population of 27 rhinos was counted in the Sat Simalu block followed by 11 in the Molamari block while not a single rhino was sighted in five blocks. According to the forest officials, these five blocks where no rhino was spotted was not a known area of rhinos.
It may be recalled here that the first rhino census was carried out in the Park in the year 1985 where a total of 67 rhinos were sighted as per the official records. On the other hand in the previous year in 1984 along with the country wide census for tigers taken in hand for the first time in the country, 17 numbers of Royal Bengal Tigers were sighted in the Park. However, the Park witnessed the highest number of one horned rhinos in the year 1991 as a total of 98 rhinos were sighted by the enumerators as per the official records. What is of more significant in the field of conservation of the one horned rhinos in the Park that though a total number of 68 rhinos were counted in the year 2006, at the same time unfortunately a total of 11 numbers of rhinos were killed by the organized gang of armed poachers during the period from 2006 to March 2009 while 17 number of rhinos ended their life with natural death. In view of the death of total 28 rhinos during this period, all feared that the rhino population would come down below fifty. But bringing the lost smile into the face of every staff and wildlife activist with a ray of new hope, the rhino population was counted to 64 which is a positive sign for this protected area.
Talking to The Sentinel at ONP soon after the end of the census, prominent wildlife activist and Secretary of Dalgaon Bon Aru Bonyaprani Surakkha Samiti Abdul Aziz who has recently been elected as the President of Kalyan Gaon Panchayat in Dalgaon LAC said that it is the high time that the state government should come forward with an open mind to look into the grievances of the staffs of the Park and to deploy adequate staffs for the anti poaching operation. He also stressed on the of the development of infrastructure to provide more facilities for the tourists. THE SENTINEL
For the smooth conduct of the mid-term rhino census, the entire area of the Park was divided into 17 blocks and seventeen enumerators assisted by equal number of Mahouts and forest guards on departmental elephants conducted the census on the early hours. On the previous night, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Mohan Chandra Malakar accompanied by Conservator of Forest Abhijit Rabha, DFO HP Phukan, State Forest School Principal RC Bhattacharya briefed all the enumerators consisting of six Forest Rangers, members of NGOs, media persons at the interpretation centre at the Tourist Lodge adjacent to the Park. Mangaldai Wildlife Division DFO Sukumar Momin and Park Ranger Jayanta Deka earlier gave a detailed picture of the Park besides welcoming all the participants. Mention may be made here that ONP with an area of 78.82 sq km is the only habitat of the endangered species of one horned rhinos on the northern bank of river Brahmaputra which is at the road distance of 130 km from Guwahati off the NH-52 at Dhansirighat near Rowta. Of the total seventeen blocks, the highest number of rhino population of 27 rhinos was counted in the Sat Simalu block followed by 11 in the Molamari block while not a single rhino was sighted in five blocks. According to the forest officials, these five blocks where no rhino was spotted was not a known area of rhinos.
It may be recalled here that the first rhino census was carried out in the Park in the year 1985 where a total of 67 rhinos were sighted as per the official records. On the other hand in the previous year in 1984 along with the country wide census for tigers taken in hand for the first time in the country, 17 numbers of Royal Bengal Tigers were sighted in the Park. However, the Park witnessed the highest number of one horned rhinos in the year 1991 as a total of 98 rhinos were sighted by the enumerators as per the official records. What is of more significant in the field of conservation of the one horned rhinos in the Park that though a total number of 68 rhinos were counted in the year 2006, at the same time unfortunately a total of 11 numbers of rhinos were killed by the organized gang of armed poachers during the period from 2006 to March 2009 while 17 number of rhinos ended their life with natural death. In view of the death of total 28 rhinos during this period, all feared that the rhino population would come down below fifty. But bringing the lost smile into the face of every staff and wildlife activist with a ray of new hope, the rhino population was counted to 64 which is a positive sign for this protected area.
Talking to The Sentinel at ONP soon after the end of the census, prominent wildlife activist and Secretary of Dalgaon Bon Aru Bonyaprani Surakkha Samiti Abdul Aziz who has recently been elected as the President of Kalyan Gaon Panchayat in Dalgaon LAC said that it is the high time that the state government should come forward with an open mind to look into the grievances of the staffs of the Park and to deploy adequate staffs for the anti poaching operation. He also stressed on the of the development of infrastructure to provide more facilities for the tourists. THE SENTINEL
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