The carcass of a rhino was found in the Manas National Park, forest officials informed on Sunday.
According to reports, the rhino died of natural causes and no signs of foul play were found on its body.
The incident has been reported from Bahbari range. Officials informed that the rhino had been in poor health for a long time.
Officials suspect that the rhino had been injured during a scuffle with another of its kind. The wounds had not healed and ultimately led to its death.
The mortal remains were found near Narayanguri forest camp. After the recovery of the carcass, forest officials were called in and they reached the spot to take custody of the deceased rhino.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi complimented the people of Assam for the efforts toward rhino conservation in the state after zero poaching incidents were reported in 2022.
Sharing a tweet by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the turn of the year, the Prime Minister tweeted, “This is great news! Compliments to the people of Assam, who have shown the way and been proactive in their efforts to protect the rhinos.”
On January 1, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that no rhino poaching incident took place in the year 2022 across Assam.
Poaching of Rhinos was rampant in the past, which has now come down drastically due to stringent surveillance and other elevated security arrangements being put in by the authorities.
To give a clear message to poachers that Rhino horns don't attach any medicinal or monetary value, the Assam government publicly burnt a stockpile of 2,479 horns in September.
"The use of rhinos' horns for medicinal purposes is a myth," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had then said.
Informing the same, CM Sarma had tweeted, “Zero Poaching! 2022 was really special for our rhino conservation efforts. Not a single rhino being poached in 2022 & just 2 in 2021, the gentle giant is now much safer in Assam. Kudos to @assamforest dept & @assampolice for their sincere efforts to protect the iconic animal.”
