Assam
calls for probe into rhino poaching - Written by Nava Thakuria
February 2013. The Assam government in northeast India has asked for the Indian
Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate the rampant poaching of
rhinoceros in various forest reserves of the tiny State. Assam chief minister,
Tarun Gogoi, has personally made this commitment recently, and the Assam
government has written to the Union government in New Delhi requesting a high
level probe.
2500 rhinos in Assam
Assam's forest reserves contain more than 2500 rare one-horned rhinoceros out of a world population of around 3000, and large quantities of other rare and important wildlife. Kaziranga National Park in central Assam is the hot-spot for the rhinos, but has suffered increasingly from poaching in the last year or two. The last 13 months seem to be worst as the park has lost around 50 rhinos to natural disasters and poachers. Poachers took away more than 25 rhino horns in this period after killing the animals.
2500 rhinos in Assam
Assam's forest reserves contain more than 2500 rare one-horned rhinoceros out of a world population of around 3000, and large quantities of other rare and important wildlife. Kaziranga National Park in central Assam is the hot-spot for the rhinos, but has suffered increasingly from poaching in the last year or two. The last 13 months seem to be worst as the park has lost around 50 rhinos to natural disasters and poachers. Poachers took away more than 25 rhino horns in this period after killing the animals.
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| Photo credit Wildlife Trust of India |
The
value of a single rhino horn in the international market has sky-rocketed; as
many people in China and Vietnam mistakenly believe that the horn carries an
aphrodisiac quality and is a cure for cancer. Rhino horn is made from keratin,
the same substance in human hair.
Students'
organizations, opposition political parties and various wildlife NGOs have
organised street protests, crying fouls at the inability of the State forest
department to protect the wildlife. On numerous occasions effigies of Assam
forest minister Rockybul Hussain have been burnt. Chief Minister Gogoi was also
targeted by some angry citizens on different occasions for his callous attitude
towards the issue.
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