The Kaziranga National Park, home to the one-horned rhinoceros and a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be thrown open to visitors on Monday, one month ahead of the usual November 1 dateline. The park which suffered extensive damage in the floods in Assam this year was closed to the public in May. Nearly 200 animals, including rhinos and swamp deer, died in the floods in July and August.
PTI, quoting park officials, said the Agoratoli Range, which attracts many migratory birds, will remain closed because of the devastation caused by flood waters. Kaziranga National Park's forest officer Rohini Ballav Saikia said domestic and international tourists are likely to be in the first group of a 14-member elephant safari that will be kicked off from Mihimukh under the Kohora range.
The picture shows rhinos and their calves standing on elevated land in the flooded park in July. The floods became worse in August and at least seven rhinos drowned in the rising waters; at least six calves were rescued by forest officials.
