GUWAHATI, Dec 9 – The only protected area north of the Brahmaputra with a viable population of Indian rhinos is yet to receive due support from the authorities concerned. Orang National Park has continued to suffer from a number of drawbacks, including a shortage of staff. Conservation groups have repeatedly called for better protection to the national park that has seen poachers eliminate a number of rhinos. However, a shortfall in forest personnel still continues to hinder operations in and around the 78.80 sq km protected area.
Lack of manpower has been identified as one of the reasons for the park losing several rhinos to poaching in the recent past. During a two-year period they killed 12 rhinos in and around the park.
According to data provided by a conservation group that has carried out studies inside Orang, against a total sanctioned strength of 99, around 24 posts have been lying vacant. Interestingly those have been vacant for quite some time now.
Experts have pointed out that the vacancies should be filled up without further ado if the Government was serious about protecting the wildlife of Orang, which includes around 64 rhinos, elephants and a range of birdlife.
Noted environmental activist and member of National Board for Wildlife, Dr Bibhab Talukdar told The Assam Tribune that it was imperative that Orang got the attention it deserves. “There are already dedicated personnel in the park, and providing additional manpower will definitely help them bolster conservation efforts,” he said.
Dr Talukdar further said that flow of funds to the park should be streamlined so that their utilisation could take place in time. Delayed arrival of funds has repeatedly impacted in several activities in the park’s management.
He and some other conservation activists agree that having more frontline staff would definitely help form a robust response to combat other threats to the national park. Some low-lying areas of the park have been covered by mimosa, while in another area grazing is emerging as a threat to wildlife.
