GUWAHATI, July 21 -The nascent artificial highlands in Kaziranga, the plan of which led to a debate among conservationists, gave shelter to some 600 animals of the flooded national park during the last few days.
Enthused by the results, the State government is planning to construct a few more, preferably in the north bank addition to the national park, after a detailed survey of the water flow and animal movement.
Till date, 141 animals � 101 hog deer and 12 rhinos � of the park have been killed, mostly in drowning incidents. There were 16 vehicle hits on the highway. Sixty four animals were rescued.
�Though the exact number of animals which took shelter on the 33 highlands could not be ascertained, the number should be around 600. The majority of them were rhinos as they do not prefer to leave the park and migrate to Karbi Anglong hills like other animals. Only around 30 rhinos had crossed the highway towards the Karbi Anglong hills and most of them have returned now,� park director P Shiv Kumar told The Assam Tribune.
�In some highlands we saw five animals, in some 20. The number varied. But yes, the number of rhino casualties has come down because of the highlands. As the water is receding now, the animals are now back to their normal routine as they do not prefer the highlands on sunny weather,� the director said.
During the floods, mostly the elephants and deer migrate to the Karbi Anglong hills and return after the water recedes.
The government has moved a proposal to repair the highlands which have suffered damage in this flood. �The government is also keen to build a few more highlands, which will be done after a proper survey,� official sources said.
There has been a lot of criticism over construction of the highlands, with many claiming that they would ruin the future ecology of Kaziranga which is based on flood plain ecosystem.
Built two years back, the highlands are around 1 to 1.5 hectare in size.
