Assam: Man, Son Injured In Rhino Attack While Crossing Animal Corridor In Kaziranga National Park

A man and his minor son were grievously injured in an attack by a one-horned rhino while passing through the Haldibari animal corridor in Assam's Kaziranga National Park.

Rhinos rely on their instincts and tend to get aggressive if threatened. Hence, they are best left alone and observed from a long distance. (Representative image of two rhinos graze in Kaziranga National Park)

A man and his son were seriously injured after being attacked by a one-horned rhinoceros on Thursday morning. The incident took place when Dudhdev Mahanta and his son Gyanam were crossing the Haldhibari animal corridor along National Highway-37 near the Kaziranga National Park, which bisects Assam's busiest National Highway. The incident occurred in the Kohora Forest Range of the Kaziranga National Park, which is under the jurisdiction of Assam's Golaghat district.

The duo was reportedly on their way to Jorhat from Tezpur in the Sonitpur district when they ran into the rhino. According to witness accounts, the rhino suddenly emerged from the forest and charged at them. The attack left Gyanam and Dudhdev grievously injured. Both were immediately rushed to the nearby Swahid Beja Baishnab Model Hospital, from where they were referred to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) for advanced treatment.   

 

The injured boy being wheeled into the Swahid Beja Baishnab Model Hospital by forest department staffers.

“The two were crossing the Haldibari animal corridor on a motorcycle around 7.30 am when a rhinoceros suddenly came out of the park and attacked them. Our forest patrolling team was present there and they immediately rushed them to the nearby hospital," Bibhuti Ranjan Gogoi, Ranger of the Kohora Forest Range said. “The Haldibari animal corridor is a very sensitive area as the movement of wild animals is very frequent here. So, patrolling teams are always on guard here," Gogoi added.

RHINO ATTACKS AT KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK IN ASSAM

Stressed for space, wild animals sometimes stray out of the forest and jungle areas of the Kaziranga. 

In January 2023, a video of a rhinoceros charging at a safari vehicle carrying tourists in Kaziranga had gone viral. The alarmed tourists could be seen screaming in fear. A month later, a rhinoceros, which had strayed out of the national park, attacked several people, leaving many of them critically injured. 

On March 18, 2020, a forest staffer died and a gardener was injured in a face-off with a rhino. The incident occurred when Bikudar Bora, a game watcher, and Anil Kalita, a gardener, went on a patrol inside the park. At least 21 forest staffers in the Kaziranga National Park, famous for its one-horned rhino population, have succumbed to animal attacks between 1996 and 2019.

The development of human habitats near the forests and jungles has led to a man-animal conflict in recent years. Rhinos rely on their instincts and tend to get aggressive if threatened. Moreover, rhinos will go to any extent to defend their calves. Hence, they are best left alone and observed from a long distance. There are designated viewing areas and safari trails throughout the Kaziranga National Park and visitors would do best to stick to these. Also, visitors are advised to be on high alert whenever passing through animal corridors.