First Case Of Poachers Using Tranquilizer To Remove Rhino Horn In Assam

The Assam Forest Department on Monday said that poachers using tranquilizers have dehorned a rhinoceros in Orang National Park.

According to reports, poachers chopped off the horn without killing the sub-adult rhino.

Park officials had come to know about the incident on May 9 and found a sub-adult male rhino, aged between 10-12 years, dehorned in the Muwamari area inside the park.

Following the incident, the PCCF (Wildlife), Chief Wildlife Warden and a veterinary doctor team of Assam State Zoo had visited the park and confirmed that poachers had used a tranquilizer gun, Pradipta Baruah, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Mangaldai wildlife division, told ANI

"This is the first instance of poaching a rhino horn using tranquilizer gun in Orang National Park. There was no bullet injury found on the Rhino. Initially, we thought it was a case of infighting, but when we closely monitored the situation with experts, we found that it is a poaching case and the horn was axed away," Mr Baruah said.

He further said that the rhino's condition is now stable and healthy.

"It has now become a big threat to wildlife in Assam especially the one-horned rhinoceros. We have suspected that veterinary experts might be involved in this incident because only veterinary experts know the use of drugs for tranquilizing an animal. The tranquilizer gun, drugs are not available in the open market, so we have to investigate this case properly," the DFO said.

The Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve counted 125 rhinos in the recently concluded rhino census.

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