Manas (Bodoland, Assam), July 5, 2013: As preparations to tackle potential flood emergencies are on at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), good news poured in for the rehabilitators, as yet another rhino hand-reared here gave birth to a healthy calf in the wild in Manas National Park.

The female rhino, named Jamuna, was rescued as a three-month-old calf during the annual floods in the famed Kaziranga National Park in June 2004, by the Assam Forest Department. She was admitted to the Assam Forest Department and IFAW-WTI-run CWRC near Kaziranga for hand-raising and rehabilitation. In 2007, she along with another female calf, Ganga, was moved to Manas NP.

With this, all three female rhinos hand-reared at CWRC and released in Manas have become mothers and bring 100% success in their rehabilitation programme. This includes Mainao – which was moved to Manas in 2006 kickstarting the reintroduction programme, and Ganga, both of whom gave birth earlier this year. The initiative was jointly implemented by the Bodoland Territorial Council, the Forest Department and IFAW-WTI.

“The reproductive success of the three hand-reared females rehabilitated here is very significant. Their age at calving is also between 9-11 years, which is similar to free ranging greater one-horned rhino,” said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head – IFAW-WTI.

The new mother along with the calf  was first sighted by the Forest Department and IFAW-WTI monitoring team members including Anjan Sangma, Rohan Goyari and Gobinda Garh, at the Bansbari Range in Manas, yesterday evening.

At Kaziranga – where Jamuna was rescued and hand-reared, Dr Rathin Barman, Deputy Director – WTI and CWRC-in-Charge, said, “Another reason to smile and celebrate, as our third rehabilitated rhino gave birth to 3rd rhino calf in Manas”.