The state government will create more highlands inside Kaziranga National Park (KNP) to protect animals during the annual floods.

KNP director P Shiv Kumar told that 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.

He said the national park had experienced unprecedented devastation, claiming the lives of a huge number of animals.

Most of the existing highlands, which were created to give shelter and protect animals during floods, have been badly damaged by the floodwaters. These highlands will be repaired urgently and their height will be increased too. There is a need to create more highlands inside the park. We will construct more highlands so that animals remain inside the park during floods: Kumar added.

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.