GUWAHATI: In a bid to safeguard the precious wildlife at Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, locals staged protest demonstrations, demanding strong actions against poachers and inefficient forest officials.
The residents living near Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam have taken to the streets, expressing their concern over the recent incidents of poaching in the region. They are demanding stringent measures to protect the wildlife and punishment for forest officials who failed to fulfil their duties, leading to the loss of many animals to poachers in the past few months.
The year 2022 had been celebrated as a remarkable achievement for Assam, as it was declared a zero-rhinoceros-poaching year, gaining global attention and appreciation from international media and celebrities. However, the current year has seen a setback with two reported incidents of rhino poaching in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, and the latest one in Manas, where the skeletal remains of a one-horned rhino were discovered by the park staff in lower Assam.
Responding to the call made by the Greater Manas Conservation and Tourism Development Society, a bike rally was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was later postponed following police intervention. Undeterred by this, the locals are now preparing for a massive rally on Saturday, as it coincides with Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria's planned visit to Manas.
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Manas, a UNESCO world heritage site, boasts a population of approximately 45 rhinos alongside various other species that call the park their home.