Chennai: Three youngsters from Chennai turned good Samaritans to reach out to humans and animal habitat in Assam, which has been reeling under the worst ever floods.
Having reached Guwahati on Monday, the three youngsters, — Nishanth Ravi, Robin Paul and Shravan Krishnan, who are also animal rights activists, associated with Assam forest department and the state’s Centre for Wild Life rehabilitation and conservation (CW RC) to rescue the wild.
“Water levels are receding as rains have stopped. We are now assisting the government with the death census,” said Nishanth in a telephonic conversation with DC.
According to the census (noted till Tuesday evening), over 350 animals were found dead in the prominent Kaziranga National Park, which includes 19 rhinoceros.
“Of the 19 dead rhinos, 11 were babies,” he added. They had identified economically backward villages to distribute clothes and other requisite supplies.
“We have been campaigning on social media to pool in funds and rations.
However, through some donors, we were able to buy lactogen packets to feed babies,” said Shravan Krishnan. “Response from city residents has not been good so far. However, we don’t want to give up,” he said.
Over nine rescued rhinos from the age group of 2 months to 5 months require at least 40 lactogen packets per day. “A packet costs around '300. The babies need the supplement for a year. They will be released into the wild after two years,” informed Robin Paul. With animals indulging in road accidents increasing now, the team is sensitizing the public against over speeding.
“To rescue themselves during the floods, animals went to the hillock. As the park is back to normalcy, they are making their way back. Strict mechanism is deployed to ensure people don’t cross 30 kilometres,” he added.
