1966, The Forest dept. claims that it contains 12 rhino. To be on the conservative side, this number should be reduced by half.
Visited on March 12, 1966. Members of the staff estimated that there were 30-40 rhino in the reserve and claimed that 36 were counted in 1965. They said rhino were restricted primarily to eastern and central parts. A census was done on March 28, 1966. They observed 41 rhino: 1 unsexed, 25 adult male, 12 adult female, 3 young.
The Doboka Reserved Forest also contains 2 adult rhino, supposedly a male and female. The area, located 32 miles from the town Nowgong, reported the death of an adult male in April 1964 from fighting.
Informed of a rhino population of about 25. Many of these rhinos are not permanent but frequently enter or leave the reserve. The surrounding areas are probably inhabited by a total of 50 rhinos.
1964, a case of poaching was detected by the Forest Dept. The case was investigated by the police and the horn of 1.75 kg of an adult female recovered.
It was proposed by the Forest Dept. in 1965 that the 4464 acre Raja Mayang Forest area be constituted as the Pobitora Forest Reserve.
The 26 sq.mile Laokhowa Reserved Forest was constituted as such about 1929, but has been recognized as a 'multiple use' area since 1958 and was proposed as a Wildlife Reserve in 1965.
Kukurata Reserved Forest, Small reserve, 8000 acres, mostly plantation teak. There were at least 7 rhinos including 2 calves.
When we enquired about rhino at Ferryghat, we were informed that a solitary rhino, apparently a male, frequented the area, but had not been seen since the first of March.
Three cases of rhino dying as a result of injuries sustained in fighting have been reported from Laokhowa since 1964: an ad. Female in July 1964, a male in Feb. 1965, a male in Nov. 1965.
Six rhino were also reported in 1959 to inhabit an island (Sal Chapori) in the Brahmaputra River near Kaziranga.
Located 3 miles west of Silghat. Mr Gohain had observed a female with calf in the dense grasslands of this sandy flood plain in Dec 1965.
The reserve includes one forest village of 51 households, approx. 535 people, 7 forest villages with 800-900 people and 140 acres of plantation forest. People are given an area for cultivation. The Ruphiahi Co-operative for fishery and farming has leased 400 acres for agricultural cultivation since 1958 for IRS 1.75 per acre per year. The reserve therefore contains at least 1000 acres of cultivation, and provides grazing for 5000 head of livestock.
Three cases of rhino dying as a result of injuries sustained in fighting have been reported from Laokhowa since 1964: an ad. Female in July 1964, a male in Feb. 1965, a male in Nov. 1965.
Laokhowa. 3 animals died, weight of recovered horns were 0.57 kg (F), 0.14 kg and 2.2 kg (M) In Pobitora, a recovered horn of ad. Female 1.75 kg, the horn of ad.male 1.265 kg
