The strong homing instinct of one of the two wild rhinoceros which have been relocated early this year in Manas National Park is giving sleepless night to wildlife officials there.
NEW DELHI: The strong homing instinct of one of the two wild rhinoceros which have been relocated early this year in Manas National Park — a world heritage site in Assam — is giving sleepless night to wildlife officials there.
A five-year-old rhino had recently strayed as far as 68km to Kalseni in Guwahati from his new home Manas and passed through several villages in his 14-day journey starting September 1. The animal had to be tranquilised and taken back to its natural habitat before it could become a predator of curious onlookers and poachers.
“The rhino was being tracked all this while with the help of the signals transmitted from his radio collar,” Sujoy Banerjee, a WWF official said.
These radio signals were superimposed on a map of the area using global positioning system to pinpoint the rhino’s exact location, he added.
However, officials suspect the rhino might try to go on a similar “adventure” and move eastward to its previous home — Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
“There is sufficient food for the rhino at Manas National Park, yet it has been attempting to move out the area. Soon after a month of being translocated, it had tried to cross the fringes of the park. With great efforts it was sent back,” Banerjee said.
Officials at the park have been asked to keep a constant vigil on the two male rhinos to ensure they settle down well in the region as it would take some time to subside the "homing instinct" in the animals which have been translocated under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 programme.
As part of its ambitious project, the Assam government and conservation groups are working to translocate upto 20 rhinos to the park over the years from their homes in both Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}