Two forest officials were injured by a rhino during a rhino census operation in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Sunday, officials said.
The incident took place under Bagori forest range in the park, where forest officials were involved in a two-day long census process.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Aniruddha Dey and forest guard Hemchandra Dutta were attacked by a female rhino and its calf during the census operation.
“The officials were astride an elephant inside the park and the elephant was attacked by a female rhino and its calf. The elephant panicked during the incident and the forest officials slipped to the ground and were injured,” a park official said.
The rhino fled from the spot after forest guards intervened.
The injured DFO was admitted at Jakhalabandha hospital and the forest guard was admitted at Bokakhat hospital.
The park official said both injured officials are now out of danger.
Over 250 forest officials are engaged in the census operation which will cover all 81 blocks in the park.
2290 one horned rhinos were found in Kaziranga during the last census, which was conducted in the year 2012.
Kaziranga lost 17 rhinos this year so far which were poached inside the park.
In 2012, poachers killed 22 rhinos in the world heritage site.
