Assam floods: 114 animals die in Kaziranga National Park, 95 rescued

The devastating flood in Assam's famed Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has claimed the lives of 114 wild animals while 95 others have been rescued till Saturday, an official said. The animal mortality in the KNP has increased from 77 till Friday. The dead animals include four rhinos and 94 hog deer due to drowning in the KNP and 11 others during treatment. The forest officials rescued 86 hog deer, two each of sambar deer and scops owl and one each of a rhino calf, Indian hare, otter, elephant and jungle cat, the KNP official said. Currently, 34 animals are under medical care while 50 others have been released after treatment, the official said. A hog deer was also killed after being hit by a speeding vehicle on a highway that runs through the KNP. This is the worst deluge in terms of animal mortality in recent years in KNP. An 18-month-old rhino calf which took shelter in the house of one Pushpanjali Sharma at Baghmari was subsequently rescued by members of the Centre for Wildlife