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About Kaziranga National park
The second wave of floods in Assam has left a trail of destruction. Close to 95% of Kaziranga National Park, located in the banks of Brahmaputra, is submerged. Kaziranga is an unmodified natural area located at the heart of Assam. The park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
- The entire ecosystem – Brahmaputra Valley flood plain – is a dynamic product of river fluctuations by the Brahmaputra .
- The park is home to Bengal tigers, elephants, Indian hog deer, wild buffalo and one-horned rhino.
- The Kaziranga has a core area of 430 sq.km. It is also a tiger reserve covering 1,055 sq.km. and has an estimated 121 tigers.
- One-horned rhino is classified as ‘ high risk to extinction in wild’ by World Wildlife Fund. Kaziranga is home to more than 55% of the one-horned rhinos on earth.
While the flood which is an annual phenomenon is shaping the unique geography and ecosystem of Kaziranga NP, it is also responsible for death of wild animals. Animals use nine major and several minor corridors between the Kaziranga National park and the hills of Karbi Anglong to escape floods during the monsoon and return when the waters subside. The destruction of hills and slopes due to indiscriminate mining destroys their safety of hills. Lose of direction to animals due to barriers in corridors also lead to drowning and death of the animal. Forest authorities and conservationists should facilitate safe passage of animals to the relative safety of hills in the region.