We miss you R22

 

The female rhino  the R-22, which was translocated from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to Manas National Park under Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020), was found dead on 19^th May 2021 morning by the rhino monitoring team of Manas. The location of the area is Madlijhara the area under Barengabari camp of Bansbari Range. The animal was captured on 12 April 2021 near Bogoriati area in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and released on 13 April 2021 in Buraburijhar area of Manas NP.

The Rhino's monitoring team has been monitored the R22 from the day of release. As per the preliminary rhino, monitoring report the rhino was found to use Charfuli area after two weeks of release and gradually move to the Southern boundary direction. Rhino was like to move solitarily and generally avoided any human intrusion (ex. Patrolling elephant etc).

 On 10 May monitoring team has reported that an adult male (Ramu) attacked the R22. It was recorded as a pre-mating behavior display. As the male pursued the female rhino very aggressively which is treated as a natural behavior for rhinos in the wild. During their first encounter, R 22 received few injuries, which were attended by the Dr. Prabhat Basumatary FVO, Manas TP, and advised the staff to keep her under observation and constant monitoring. Accordingly, the team was monitoring R22.

 Again, on the 17^th and 18^th May 2021 the male rhino started chasing her and it became very violent from 18^th onward, when she resisted all his moves. Staff from the nearby camp tried their best to cordon off the male but due to low visibility and nightfall; they could not venture more due to darkness.

The resident male demonstrated what a male should and would normally do to propagate his genes and establish his dominance. The female which turned out to be gravid with a female fetus did her best to evade his moves but being a primiparous female which was evident from her size and tentative age, her experience in the new location, and encounters with prime adult rhinos made her more vulnerable and ultimately had to succumb to the attack. This is part of the normal rhino behavior and staff did their best to protect her. Samples have been collected to rule out any infectious cause of death and shall be despatched soon to Guwahati for analysis in Veterinary College.

                                             Official Press Release of that incident