A major flood crisis is unfolding in Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, where around 60% of the protected area—home to India’s highest density of one-horned rhinoceroses—has been submerged due to swelling waters from the Brahmaputra River. The deluge has not only threatened the fragile ecosystem but also disrupted anti-poaching operations and displaced wildlife, including the endangered rhinos.
According to forest officials, the flooding intensified after June 1, with water entering the 16 sq km sanctuary from the Brahmaputra via multiple feeder channels. Additional water has surged in from the Kopili River through the Goronga Beel, leaving vast stretches of the sanctuary underwater.
The sanctuary’s famed one-horned rhinos, numbering 107 as per the latest census, have largely managed to reach higher terrain within the sanctuary. “Most of them are safe, sheltering in elevated areas, while some remain in patches of grassland that are still above water,” Baruah added.
The flooding has also crippled forest infrastructure. Ten of the 17 anti-poaching camps, including key sites like Dholi, Hahchora, Pagladova, and Kamarpur, have been inundated. The Dholi camp, in particular, is nearly 80% submerged, severely impacting ground operations.
Despite the challenges, the forest department has intensified patrolling using both mechanised and traditional country boats to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of wildlife movement. Elephant relocation efforts are also underway, with 50% of the sanctuary’s elephants already moved to safer terrain in the Burha Mayong area.
Pobitora plays a critical role in India’s rhino conservation story. The high concentration of rhinos in such a small area makes the sanctuary especially vulnerable during natural calamities like floods. Conservationists and forest officials are now closely monitoring the situation, with concerns mounting over the long-term impact on the sanctuary’s biodiversity.
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