Two greater one-horned rhinos were found murdered with their horns missing inside India’s Kaziranga National Park – and authorities believe it was the work of poachers posing as park visitors.
Forest guards covering the Agartoli range of Kaziranga National Park have discovered the bodies of a male and female rhino – both with their horns removed.
Officials say the killers simply entered the park posing as visitors.
Sadly, this is not the first time rhino poachers have acted as tourists to gain access to rhinos. In October, forest officials halted elephant safaris in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary when it was found that poachers were acting as safari clients to locate greater one-horned rhinos deep in their forest habitat.
PTI reported that a “massive search operation” is now on to apprehend the poachers – who have raised Kaziranga’s 2009 rhino death toll to 14.
The officials said the poachers had entered the park posing as visitors and killed the female rhino last night. The park authorities have launched a massive search operation to nab the poachers.
Earlier this month, forest guards were also said to have killed two poachers inside the park.
Rhino conservation efforts threatened by poaching surge
According to a recent report prepared for CITES, Kaziranga National Park is home to the largest greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) population in India, and has experienced an average population growth rate of 3.4% per annum. As of September 2009, the park’s rhino population stood at 2,048, with the total in India at 2,800.
Although the greater one-horned rhino was recently re-classified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from Endangered to Vulnerable, the current surge in illegal rhino killings threatens to undermine years of rhino conservation success.
The illegal killing of rhinos for their horns has escalated to alarming numbers in recent years, due to an insatiable demand mainly from China (and increasingly, Vietnam) where unfortunate superstitions tout rhino horn as a remedy for common ailments, such as fever. The rising personal incomes and “new wealth” in these regions have proven to be a deadly combination for rhino populations in both Asia and Africa, now that an unprecedented number of people are eager to pay high sums of money for illegal products derived from endangered species.
Related articles:
- UNESCO Requests Stronger Anti-Poaching Measures for Kaziranga National Park
- Poachers Try New Method to Kill Rhino: Poisoned Salt
- Jaldapara Elephant Safaris Halted to Thwart Rhino Poachers
- Rhinos: 11 Incredible Facts, Plus Photo Gallery
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
Sad news.
But on a more positive note may I say thank you to all at EcoWorldly for all the great posts, and the great work you do in keeping the world informed of our fast disappearing natural world so that we can each do our little bit to help to stem the tide.
Happy Holidays to all of you.
DG
I’ll refrain from another anti-China tirade. I get tired of saying the same thing over and over, I know many other people feel the same.
I agree with Dog Gift above, thanks Ecolocalizer. I’m subcribed to 150+ conservation blogs and news sites but keeping up with them on a daily basis is hard, so it’s nice that you post the top stories regularly – thank you and keep it up in 2010!
Hi DG & Rebecca -
Thank you *very* much & Happy Holidays!
Rhishja