Feral buffalo herd terrorises Rani Chapori farmers, authorities struggle to act

Amingaon, Dec 31: A herd of domestic buffaloes has been posing a serious threat at Rani Chapori char in Kamrup (M) district for the past two years. Farmers have been spending sleepless nights, fearing for their lives as well as for their cultivated plots.

According to local farmers, the problem began in 2024 when about eight buffaloes were first spotted on the char. “From eight buffaloes, the number has now increased to 22, including calves, which has become a matter of serious concern,” said Akshay Kalita, a farmer of the char. He added that the animals appear at night, run amok, and vanish by dawn.

“They should be tranquilized by the concerned authorities, who need to stay on the char for several days to prevent any untoward incident,” Kalita demanded.

He further said that while some farmers have erected fencing to deter the herd, not everyone can afford such measures.

“What matters most is the safety of lives as well as the farmland. Before any mishap occurs, the Forest Department should chalk out a concrete plan to address the crisis,” he said.

Vegetables frequently damaged by the herd include brinjal, cabbage, pumpkin, bottle gourd and lady’s finger.

Subhash Kalita, a progressive farmer of the char, said the crisis is deepening and demanded effective intervention before the situation takes a tragic turn. His own farmland has suffered heavy losses, prompting him to take preventive steps.

“After suffering major damage, I dug a trench four to five feet deep around my 20-bigha plot, which proved effective,” he said, adding that some farmers with smaller landholdings have also erected barbed-wire fencing.

“With our help, the Forest Department has tried to drive away the herd, but as soon as the animals see people, they rush into the jungle areas of the char,” he added. Farmers on the char cultivate a wide range of crops, including vegetables, pulses, oilseeds and paddy.

Official sources in the Forest Department said forest personnel have visited the area several times to drive away the herd.

“These buffaloes are not wild. They are domestic animals that were washed away during floods and later took shelter there,” the source said, adding that teams have visited the area on multiple occasions, including in January this year.

Referring to earlier operations, the source said a Forest Department team, along with the village head, local residents, staff of the Rani Forest Range, the Guwahati Protection Squad Range based at Basistha, and Azara police personnel, attempted to drive away the herd in October 2024.

“It is very difficult to spot their exact location. With the help of drones we could trace the animals, but since the area falls under a no-flying zone, permission is not granted by the Airports Authority of India,” said Mrinal Medhi, Forest Range Officer, Palashbari Forest Range, who was part of the team. He added that spotting the animals during the daytime is extremely difficult, as they often retreat into dense jungle areas once noticed.

Meanwhile, owners of the buffaloes are reported to have submitted applications to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), East Kamrup Forest Division, claiming ownership of the animals roaming on the chapori, stating that they were washed away during floods.

Talking to this correspondent, DFO Ashok Dev Choudhury said, “I received three applications on November 11, 2025, claiming ownership of the buffaloes in the chapori area, and forwarded them to the Co-District Commissioner, Jalukbari Co-District, on December 8, 2025.”

Jiban Krishna Goswami, Co-District Commissioner of Jalukbari Co-District, said, “I have received the applications regarding ownership of the domestic buffaloes. As far as capturing the animals is concerned, it will be more convenient during the kharali season.”

He added that affected farmers have also been asked to submit written details of the quantum of damage they have suffered.

Meanwhile, an expert from the wildlife organization Aranyak said that when domestic buffaloes turn feral, human-imprinted behaviour often remains to a considerable extent.

“With such dual characteristics, the possibility of attacks on humans cannot be ruled out,” the expert said. He further warned that feral buffaloes pose serious health risks, as humans are vulnerable to diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and several other infections that can originate from wildlife.