Artists join rhino conservation campaign in Assam

Various artists and professionals from different walks of life joined a wildlife campaign this past week to spread awareness of the need to ensure the survival of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros in the countrys northeast region.

By Peter Alex Todd

Kaziranga National Park (Assam), Aug.6 : Various artists and professionals from different walks of life joined a wildlife campaign this past week to spread awareness of the need to ensure the survival of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros in the country's northeast region.

Park authorities enlisted the support of eminent personalities, including popular Assamese singers Zubeen Garg and Manas Robin, and well-known painter Nil Pawan Barua for the "Save Kaziranga Campaign".

The authorities believe the association of popular artists like Zubeen Garg, who recently came into the limelight on national level with his "Ya Ali..." song, can appeal masses to take note of plight of wildlife.

Garg said: "We have made an endeavour so that our voices reach every nook and corner of Assam and the northeast so that people know about the problems in Kaziranga."

The day-long programme was part of Kaziranga National Park plan to check the poaching of one-horned rhinos.

Dharani Dhar Boro, a Kaziranga National Park ranger, said: "Protection and conservation of forests and the wildlife is not limited to the forest officer, People should also realise their role in protecting wildlife, be it singers, journalists, teachers or others. They too should come forward and take responsibility."

Besides poaching, floods often inundate the park, which lies to the south of the mighty Brahmaputra River, threatening the animal population.

The ark is a sanctuary to more than half of the world population of one-horned rhinoceros.

Around 1,700 one-horned rhinoceros of the total world population of 2,300 are in Kaziranga Park.

The park is also home to a large number of other animals like deer, bison, tiger, bear and endangered Asiatic elephants.

Caught in heavy showers and flooding, animals in the Park tend to cross the highway to reach the hilly side for safety and food, often coming under the wheels of speeding vehicles.

United Nations Convention for Protection of World Culture and Natural Heritage had declared the National Park as a World Heritage Property in 1985.

ANI