In a first, a new set of bicycles were provided to the frontline forest staff in Bokakhat Range of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) to carry out patrolling on river isles in a bid to safeguard rhinos that stray out during the winter.
During winter when the Brahmaputra river bed almost gets dried up, one-horned rhinos from Kaziranga National Park stray out of the core area and head towards Majuli river island through Bokakhat Range (Eastern Range) of the National Park. The eastern range of the KNP is dotted with several river isles that have contiguity with Majuli island across the mighty river.
Every winter, frontline Forest personnel posted in camps in Bokakhat Range face a tough time in diverting back as well as to keep track of those straying rhinos from heading towards faraway Majuli island. The straying rhinos become too vulnerable to poaching.
As carrying out patrolling on those sand bar islands with usual Gypsy vehicles or motorcycles is not possible because of lack of any road as well as logistics, the forest personnel are forced to trail those straying rhinos on foot for long distances.
Aaranyak, a biodiversity Conservation organization, has decided to provide these bi-cycles to these forest staff hoping that these cycles will help them keep track of straying rhinos to a greater extent and the national park authority too has welcomed the move which may give a new dimension to rhino protection in eastern range of the National Park.
Hence in regards to the same, a total of six bicycles were given to frontline forest staff at a function held at Bhakte Chapori forest camp under Bokakhat Range. A bi-cycle repairing kit was provided with each of the cycles.
