GUWAHATI, March 10 � Two rescued young rhinos, Maju and Raja, have been translocated to Manas National Park after recovery under the care of the Assam Forest Department (AFD) and International Fund for Animal Welfare � Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI). Covering a 450-km long journey from one UNESCO World Heritage Site to another, the two will be released in a natural habitat under controlled conditions.
Maju was orphaned in an incident in February 2009, when his mother charged at a team of researchers and had to be killed by forest guards protecting them. Raja was found alone in January 2008, dehydrated and weak. Both incidents occurred in Kaziranga National Park.
The calves were admitted to the IFAW-WTI-AFD run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), where they were hand-raised by veterinarians and animal keepers. Between three and four years of age, the two males will be released in Manas National Park that has seen introduction of rhinos in recent years.
