Kaziranga National Park acquires anti-poaching vessel to protect its rhinos

Kaziranga (Assam), Jan 9 (ANI): In order to keep a check on poachers, authorities at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, acquired a floating anti-poaching squad to patrol the river banks surrounding the park.

Famous for its one-horned rhinoceros, the park has become an easy target for the poachers who navigate the Brahmaputra River surrounding the park to enter Kaziranga and kill the rhinos for their horns.

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To keep a check on the entry of the poachers through the river route, authorities at the park will make use of this vessel to patrol the river.

The vessel costing rupees 1.7 million was purchased with aid provided by US Fish and Wildlife Service and Rhino Foundation for Nature, is equipped with modern amenities and would enable the officials to stay in the vessel for long hours while patrolling.

Equipped with this vessel, the authorities feel they would be able to ward off the poachers easily.

"There was a shortage of vehicles for patrolling. We are really grateful to the Rhino Foundation for providing us with this patrolling vessel," said MC Malakar, Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF).

A total of 12 rhinos have fallen prey to poachers in the recent past.

According to experts, the rhino horns, which are purported to have aphrodisiac properties, are smuggled to China and also sold in other Asian markets.

Buyers from the Middle East also use the horns to make ornamental dagger handles. Estimates suggest that rhino horns can sell for up to 35,000 dollars a kilogram. By Peter Alex Todd (ANI)