18 May 10

Rhino Poaching Gang Arrested Near Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Authorities in Assam have arrested seven rhino rhino poachers and confiscated a rhino horn.

Seven rhino poachers – including a retired forest guard – have been arrested near Kaziranga National Park.

Forest guards involved in rhino poaching

The rhino poachers were arrested while traveling to Dimapur in Nagaland to sell the rhino horn to a dealer. Authorities confiscated the rhino horn and cash (Rs.345,000 or around $7,574 USD).

According to published reports, one of the arrested poachers was Kushal Bora, a former forest guard who had recently opted for early retirement.

Although a second former forest guard who was involved with the rhino poaching gang managed to escape, cash in the amount of Rs. 2.97 lakh (around $6,520 USD) was recovered from his residence. His name is Tarun Ganek and he was deployed in the Kohara area of KNP, until he was reportedly fired for “dereliction of duty.”

A park warden noted concern via Prokerala over the involvement of forest personnel.

We are now investigating and trying to find out if there could be some unscrupulous forest guards working in tandem with poacher gangs in Kaziranga.

The Hindustan Times identified the other poacher as Majibur Rahman, Manik Ali, Bijan Das, Anant Baruah, Lakhi Barua and Nabi Hussain.

Rhino killings driven by Asian demand for rhino horn

Kaziranga National Park has already lost nine greater one-horned rhinos to poachers this year.

Illegal rhino killing in Africa and Asia has surged in recent years. The increase is fueled by demand in China and Vietnam, where superstitions attribute healing “powers” to rhino horn – despite the fact that scientific analysis has proven rhino horn has no medicinal effects on humans.

Sources:

Image: istock.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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