Rhino horn seized in Siliguri

26 February, 2010

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Rhino horn seized in Siliguri 

Feb 26:

Forest Officers of the Baikunthapur Forest Division in North Bengal raided a hotel in Siliguri last night and arrested two people with a rhino horn. One of the accused is from Kerala and the other was the owner of the hotel. 

Acting on a tip off, the DFO Mr. K Balamuguran and the Range Officer Mr. Sanjay Dutta, entered the hotel and found the horn wrapped in a red cloth. The horn weighed about 750 grams. Preliminary investigations indicate that the horn originated from Kaziranga National Park in Assam, and that it was bound for Nepal.

Coincidentally, one dead rhino was found in Kaziranga two days ago with its horn missing. In the last two months at least five rhinos have been killed by poachers in Assam. In 2009, WPSI recorded the death of 16 rhinos killed by poachers.

The Assam Government is planning to use Special Armed Police and BSF to combat rhino poaching, along with trained dogs.

In West Bengal, a rhino census has just begun in Jaldapara and Gorumara. On the first day of the census (25th February) the forest team found 28 rhinos in Gorumara National Park. More details are awaited.