An 82-member Special Rhino Protection Force which is trained to combat poachers and understand animal behaviour was recently deployed in Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
a. Special Rhino Protection Force
b. Kaziranga Anti-Poaching Force
c. Special Tiger Protection Force
d. Wildlife Protection Force
About the Special Rhino Protection Force:
- The process of setting up the special force was initiated in 2015.
- In July 2018 members recruited were given appointment letter after which they were trained at the Forest Guard School in eastern Assam's Makum.
- All recruits also underwent weapons training at the 9th Assam Police Battalion in Nagaon district of Assam.
- This Special Force has been raised by the initiative of both Central as well as State Governments so as to control rhino poaching in the tiger reserve.
- The state government of Assam would be paying salaries to SRPF members and the amount would be reimbursed by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which recommended setting up of this special force.
- It consists of 82 personnel among whom eight are women.
- Out of the 82 SRPF personnel, 60 have been assigned ranges under Eastern Assam Wildlife Division on the southern bank of river Brahmaputra.
- SRPF personnel will be posted under 8 ranges of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) to control rhino poaching as well as protecting tiger poaching since Kaziranga is also a tiger reserve.
About Kaziranga National Park:
- The 430 sq.km national parks are located in Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
- In 1968 it was given National Park status and in 1985 it was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) for its unique natural environment.
- It is home to World's largest population of One Horned Rhinoceros i.e. about 68%.
- The One-Horned Rhinoceroses are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- It is also recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International for the conservation of avifaunal species.
- It encompasses 8 ranges under two wildlife divisions: (1) Eastern Assam and (2) Biswanath along the river Brahmaputra.
One must know:
- Basically, SRPF is a tiger protection force that was named after the rhino since the threat of poaching is more for the one-horned herbivore.
Question:
Q. What is the name of the 82-member force which is trained to combat poachers and understand animal behaviour and was deployed in Kaziranga National Park (KNP)?a. Special Rhino Protection Force
b. Kaziranga Anti-Poaching Force
c. Special Tiger Protection Force
d. Wildlife Protection Force
