Rhino involved in Kaziranga accident doing good: Himanta

PTI, Oct 11, 2022, 1:44 PM IST

A rhino, which had run into a speeding truck on a highway in the Kaziranga National Park recently, was found in a healthy condition on Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The animal had stumbled down under the impact of the hit and had limped back into the forest, leading to concerns about its health.

Sarma shared on Twitter a 1.06-minute drone video that was taken in the morning. The clip showed the animal in a normal state near Haldibari area of the park and moving around in a pit.

“An urgent update: Our Rhino friend, who met with an accident in Haldibari recently, is found to be doing good,” Sarma tweeted.

“Urge all to be kind to our animals. Go slow while passing through corridors, where you know some animals might cross,” he said.

Sarma had shared a 10-second video on Sunday that showed the rhino running into a truck while trying to cross National Highway 37, which cuts through the park. The truck intercepted was later and a fine was imposed.

A speed limit of 40 km/hr is strictly enforced along the highway stretch during the peak monsoon season to ensure safety of the animals who cross the road in search of dry land.

Sarma had said earlier that the administration was working on a special 32-km elevated corridor in its resolve to save animals at the Kaziranga.