Rhinoceros Calf Killed by Male Rhino in Dudhwa National Park

New Delhi: A rhinoceros calf was killed by a mature male rhino in the Dudhwa National Park. The autopsy of the dead rhinoceros calf proved that it was killed because of rupture of the diaphragm and the intestines. The calf was attacked by another male rhino.

The body of this dead rhino calf was discovered on Tuesday evening in the Rhino rehabilitation area (Phase II) in the Belrayan range of Dudhwa National Park. It had multiple puncture wounds throughout the body. This hinted that it had faced a severe attack by another rhinoceros.

Post mortem by the body was conducted by three veterinary doctors to ascertain the cause of death as per the NTCA guidelines.

Rhino rehabilitation area (RRA Phase II) was developed along the Bhadi Tal in the Belrayan range in an area of 14 sq km in April 2018 where four Rhinos from the existing RRA-I were shifted to RRA-I have presently 40 rhinos. The habitat conditions in RRA-II suited the rhinos whose population rose to six. With the death of the calf recently, their number has now come down to five.