Guwahati, Dec. 25: The Orang National Park authorities have successfully tackled the poaching menace with not a single rhino falling prey to poachers over the past one-and-a-half years.
Officials said the park, which had lost about 50 per cent of its rhino population between 1994 and 1999, has been more successful in guarding its inmates than its famed counterpart in Kaziranga.
The rhino population in the park had gone down to 50 from nearly 100 between 1994 and 1999, triggering alarm among the forest officials. The 1999 census had put the rhino population of Orang at 46.
Chief wildlife warden of Assam Soneswar Doley attributed the success to the intensification of patrolling by park officials, made possible by the improvement in infrastructure.
“The park now has more rifles and a well-equipped wireless network. It also has more vehicles now, which enables the officials to move into the interior areas of the park,” Doley said.
The park was declared a game reserve in 1915 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.
The sanctuary covered an area of 75.56 square km in 1985 while 3.21 square km was added on along the western border in 1991. Orang was granted national park status in 2000.
“The park, which was neglected in the earlier years, has now regained its status as an important rhino habitat,” Doley said.
Doley said awareness camps played a crucial role in motivating the villagers to ward off poachers.
He said the park currently had about 60 rifles as compared to the 10 a few years back. The condition of the roads has also been improved.
The chief warden said wildlife NGOs like Aaranyak had also done their bit by donating to the park state-of-the-art communication equipment and clothes for guards.
The park has 45-60 Bengal florican. It is also home to the sever other animals like the blind Gangetic dolphin, Indian pangolin, rhesus macaque, Bengal porcupine, Indian fox, small Indian civet, otter, leopard cat and fishing cat.
The Kaziranga National Park has lost four rhinos this winter, forcing the officials to tighten vigil and take up anti-poaching measures.