Photo: D.J. Saha.The latest incident took place on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, around 3.20 a.m. and involved the killing of two of Assam's Kaziranga rhinos, very close to National Highway 37, which is a stone's throw from the Dirang forest chowki. The area is in the charge of the Burapahar Range and is particularly vulnerable thanks to its proximity to and easy access from the Karbi Anglong forests where militants roam virtually unchallenged. Unofficial sources confirm that these militants are now targetting rhinos using AK 47 assault rifles supplied by networks that operate via Bangladesh and have links to China.
According to the India Blooms News Agency, a park official is reported to have said, “When our boys came out from the forest camp after hearing the sound of the firing, the poachers fired at the forest guards and bullets were exchanged. However, the poachers managed to flee from the site with the horns."
Enquiries will predictably unfold, however, knowledgeable sources among NGOs say nothing will come of such investigation because a) the officials concerned fear for their lives and b) the State Government is loathe to call in the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has advanced forensics capabilities, because this is seen as an admittance of their own inability to handle the poaching problem.
In 2012, a total of 22 rhinos were killed in Kaziranga, and with almost half the year remaining, the figure has already now reached 24 (by some accounts).
Earlier this year, Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain had officially introduced UAV surveillance at Kaziranga to protect wild animals, including the one-horned rhinoceros.
Belatedly, assault rifles are also now being issued to the forest protection staff, but wildlife experts question the performance of the Forest Minister, who they accuse of being long on talk, but short on delivery of real support to Assam's forest field staff whose lives are on the line on a daily basis.
“There is precious little that people sitting far from the arena of action can do, however, it does help to get message of concern and disapproval across to the powers that be," said Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia, who has requested young persons from across India to sign on to a rhino petition that is available at this link: Stop the Rhino Killers.
More background on the link between wildlife trade and terrorism available here:
