More than 200 animals have drowned in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, 80% of which is under water. At least 13 rhinoceroses and 166 hog deer were among them, The Hindu reported. The government has been trying to transfer several animals to its rescue and rehabilitation centre, but many of the calves and other small animals have perished.

Subhasis Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Kaziranga, told IANS that none of Kaziranga’s tigers have died, and some might have moved towards human habitations. Several animals survived because of raised man-made highlands within the park, and Das said they now plan to install more such platforms. Das said among other animals killed were wild boar, sambars, swamp deer, buffalos, hog badgers and even a porcupine and a python.

Das also said that some amount of flooding was important for soil formation in Kaziranga, and that the animal toll this year is less than during the 2012 floods. Efforts to rescue the animals in Kaziranga have been on for days.