Guwahati: Caught in floods, big cat curls up in bed!

Guwahati: The devastating flood is not only a tragedy for residents of Assam alone but it has brought catastrophe for wildlife of the state. On Thursday a tiger which strayed   from Kaziranga National Park, which is completely under water was spotted curled up on the bed of a house near the national highway close to the park.

The park authorities said that forest guard had spotted the tiger near the national highway  as it escaped from Kaziranga National Park. The Wildlife Trust of India said that disturbed by natural calamities, the tiger jumped across the wall of a scrap garage and took refuge in a room. The park authorities plan to tranquilise the tiger which is now ensconced inside the bedroom of the house.  The divisional forest officer of Kaziranga National park said, "So far, 51 animals have died, including 38 hog deers, five rhinos, one elephant, three sambars and four wild boars. About 11 hog deer were killed by vehicles on the highway crossing through the park. The rest drowned."  

There were no reports of animal casualties from the other flooded wildlife reserves - Orang National Park, Nameri National Park, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Manas National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, with a core area of 16 sq km, has the highest concentration of rhinos in Assam.