Assam Floods: Close to 95% of Kaziranga National Park Submerged

Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim

A second wave of floods has left a trail of destruction in the northeastern state of Assam. At least 66 people have died and more than 36 lakh people displaced across 27 districts in the state. However, wildlife has also been badly affected by the floods.

Close to 95 percent of the Kaziranga National Park, famous for its one-horned rhinos, has reportedly been submerged in water. In the Kaziranga National Park alone, at least 50 animals have died so far. Several animals have also been rescued.

Animals from the park, which is also a UNESCO heritage site, have been wandering into nearby villages in search of food and shelter.

An adult Royal Bengal tiger was caught on camera, taking shelter in a goat shed of a villager in Kandolimari village in the Agoratoli forest range of the park. The video of the big cat was shared on Twitter by Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve.

Other tigers were also spotted moving towards the Baghmari village area to escape the flood waters.

A female one-year-old rhino calf that got separated from her mother in the flood was rescued near the Agartoli range and taken to a relief centre. The mother could not be located. The video of the rhino calf being rescued was also shared on Twitter by Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve.

Several animals – elephants, deer, tigers, rhinos – were spotted trying to escape the flood. Many elephants, rhinos and deer were spotted at the national highway near the Kaziranga National Park, trying to escape to higher lands.

A herd of elephants was caught on camera wandering into an empty village in search of food in the Majuli area. The video was widely shared on Twitter.

Most parts of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary were inundated as well. Floods forced many animals to move to safer places in the Karbi hills area.

The current wave of floods in Assam has also affected over 10 lakh domestic animals.