Floods sweep away rhinos in north Bengal; one found dead, another rescued alive

Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) The floods in northern West Bengal swept away several rhinos from the forests of the Dooars region, officials said on Monday.

The body of one rhino was found floating in the flooded Medhla range of Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri, while another was rescued alive from Kalibari village near Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar, they said.

Officials could not confirm whether the carcass from Gorumara had been recovered and sent for autopsy.

"The situation will be clearer once forest personnel can enter the affected areas after the water level recedes," a senior forest official said.

At least three more rhinos were initially reported missing from their habitats in the Dooars region, spanning the two districts, after rivers Torsha, Jaldhaka, and Kaljani overflowed.

Two of them were later traced, while one remained unaccounted for till Monday morning.

"We are optimistic that the remaining rhino is alive. Once the water level goes down, efforts will be made to track and relocate it to its habitat," the official said.

"The department also received reports of five elephants, including calves, stranded in the swollen Jaldhaka river near Panbari forest. Forest teams expect to drive them back to safety as the situation begins to normalise," he added. PTI SUS SOM