"Four rhinos are in the line for being translocated from
the Pabitora wildlife sanctuary to the Manas forest very
soon", Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Bishen Singh
Bonal said here on Sunday.
Bonal confirmed that a four-member team of UNESCO's
World Heritage Committee had recently visited the Manas
National Park, a world heritage site, and expressed
satisfaction with the measures taken by the forest department
to strengthen infrastructure and security measures there.
The park was in danger of losing its world heritage
status after facing the wrath of the Bodo militants in the
1990s in which almost all the forest camps and infrastructure
were destroyed.
The animal population, including the royal Bengal tigers
and the highly endangered one-horned rhinos, were also in
danger with numbers of several species decreasing alarmingly
forcing the UNESCO to reassess the world heritage status of the
park.
"The UNESCO team visited the park last week and are
satisfied with the current position and animal strength",
bonal added.
The CCF said the four rhinos will have to be administered
tranquilising drugs produced by a UK based firm and then
translocated to the Manas park.
"We are waiting for the drugs to arrive for the
translocation process to start", he said.
A special task force for rhino translocation has been
formed which has also expressed satisfaction about the
security measures adopted inside the park, he said.
The committee was also satisfied with the anti-poaching
measures taken up by the park authorities, he said.
The UNESCO team was happy with the augmentation work but
regarding the allegation of harm to the animal population they
have asked for a database report, Bonal said.
He said a proper animal database was under preparation by
the Manas Tiger Reserve authorities after the population of
several species dwindled during the disturbed period.
On the infrastructure front, the forest roads inside the
park have been repaired and several bamboo and foot bridges
constructed for movement of forest security staff, he said.
A total of 13 camps have been rebuilt and security
enhanced in all the 31 camps inside the park.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, February 17, 2008, 00:00