Guwahati, Aug 13: The carcass of an adult elephant was found in Assam's Tinsukia district, while a rhino was injured after being knocked down by a vehicle on the animal corridor in Kaziranga National Park, forest officials said on Friday.
The female elephant, aged about 30 years, was found dead in Sadia Range under Doomdooma Division on Friday and it is suspected that she was electrocuted to death. On receiving information, forest personnel along with veterinary doctors rushed to the site and a post mortem of the animal is being conducted.
"It looks like a case of electrocution but it can be ascertained only after the post-mortem examination, a forest official said. If it is confirmed that electrocution was the cause of death, it will be the first such case this year. Thirteen elephants had died in the state last year due to electrocution.
Meanwhile, in another incident at Kaziranga National Park, a rhino was knocked down by a speeding vehicle on the animal corridor at Haldibari under Kohora Range while it was crossing NH 37 on Thursday night. Forest and police personnel arrived at the spot immediately, seized the vehicle, and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on the driver for overspeeding beyond the permissible limit of 40 km per hour within the animal corridor.
The state transport department in coordination with the forest department has installed speedometers in animal corridors to minimise cases of accidents when animals cross over to Karbi Anglong hills, especially during floods. The park authorities said the rhino fainted for a while following the collision with the vehicle. After half an hour, the animal got up and slowly returned to the forest. The injured rhino came out from the forest area on Friday morning and attacked two vehicles and injured an elephant of the department.
"We are trying to drive out the animal from the Karbi Anglong side towards the park. The police and forest personnel are monitoring the movement of vehicles and animals", KNP director P Sivakumar said.
A team of veterinarians was keeping a close watch on the rhino which has sustained injuries on its horn and leg, he said.
