BARPETA, March 1 � Giving a ray of hope to the people of not only Assam but the international community as a whole, as many as 18 rhinos are to be trans-located to the Manas National Park-cum-Tiger Project within three months. Out of these 18, six will be brought within March next. This was stated by Sushie Ellis, Executive Director of International Rhino Foundation recently.
Talking to a group of journalists, Ellis, who was on a tour to study the situation in Manas, said that IRF is serious about the restoration of the previous glory to Manas. She claimed that IRF, along with other organisations engaged in the preservation of the nature, are trying hard to retrieve Manas from the World Heritage Site in Danger.
Ellis was accompanied by five other companions. The six- member team visited Manas to have an on-the-spot study about the facilities and the progress after the first phase of translocation in April 2008.
It is worth mentioning that the International Rhino Foundation, in association with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, WWF and the Forest Department of the State, adopted an ambitious project Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020). The main objective of this project is to increase the rhino population to 3000 by the cut off year of 2020. As part of its initiatives two male rhinos were trans-located to Manas from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on the April 12, 2008 last.
