CWRC, Kaziranga National Park, August 19, 2017: A Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) unit of the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) — IFAW-WTI and the Assam Forest Department’s wildlife rescue, treatment and rehabilitation facility near Kaziranga National Park — rescued a female rhino calf, approximately six to seven months old, from the Harmoti area of Kaziranga’s Bagori Range on August 17. The calf was brought to CWRC for treatment and long-term care.
The rhino calf was first noticed by residents of a flood relief camp at Harmoti, two days prior to the date of rescue. Having determined that its mother was not in the area, they informed Pankaj Bora, the Bagori Range Forest Officer, on August 17.
This is the sixth rhino calf rescued and brought to CWRC within the last week, since the second wave of monsoon floods hit Kaziranga National Park.
Responding to the forest department’s request for assistance, the MVS team, led by veterinarians Dr Daoharu Baro and Dr Santosh Kumar Gupta, reached the spot and found the calf in a weakened state, severely stressed and dehydrated. It was transported to CWRC and is now housed at the centre’s Large Animal Nursery.
“The calf remains under close observation but seems to be responding well to oral rehydration”, said Dr Panjit Basumatary, the lead veterinarian at the centre. “We have placed it with a male rhino of similar age to alleviate the stress levels of both calves.”
This is the sixth rhino calf rescued and brought to CWRC within the last week, since the second wave of monsoon floods hit Kaziranga National Park.
