Guwahati, Feb 19: A 40-year-old male rhinoceros was found dead inside Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam’s Morigaon district, with forest officials confirming that the animal died of natural causes and its horn was recovered intact.
Pranjal Baruah, Forest Range Officer at Pobitora, said the carcass was discovered on February 18 during routine patrol duty. Field staff located the dead rhino with its horn intact at the Jugdol Camp area within the sanctuary. A forest team led by the Range Officer reached the site and retrieved the carcass from the bank of Chitalmari beel.
A post-mortem examination was conducted soon after recovery. Baruah said the horn was secured for safe custody and necessary samples were collected before disposal of the carcass. According to the veterinary officer at the Assam State Zoo and Botanical Garden, the male rhino, estimated to be around 40 years old, died of natural causes. Officials noted that the presence of the horn ruled out any immediate indication of poaching.
In a separate incident at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Sunday, two forest personnel were attacked by a rhino near the Bordoloni Forest Camp in the Kohora Range. Arun Vignesh, Divisional Forest Officer and Deputy Director of the park, said a homeguard, Sahabuddin, posted at Bordoloni Camp, was attacked around noon while on duty and succumbed to injuries while being taken to hospital.
Another staff member, Ramen Borah, was injured in the same incident and was being shifted to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital for treatment, officials said.
