Assam’s Manas National Park will remain closed to visitors for three days as rhino census will begin in stages across all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the state.

The counting of rhinos in Manas National Park will be conducted from April 1 to April 3. During this time, tourists will be barred from entering the national park.

This was informed by Vaibhav C Mathur, field director of the Manas Tiger Project.

The number is likely to grow however, a forest officer of the Banhbari Range stated, adding that all preparations for numbering these rhinos in all three Manas ranges have been completed.

It may be mentioned that a sharp rise in rhino population is being witnessed in Manas National Park in recent times.

"In recent times, the park has received 5-6 rhino cubs. Rhino population has also been increasing in the park," Babul Brahma, Deputy Ranger of Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve said.

In 2005, the Assam government took the decision of re-introducing rhinos in Manas National Park under the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020) and the first rhino translocated to the park in 2006 which was brought from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park.

Also Read: Border Row: Assam, Meghalaya CMs to Meet Amit Shah on March 29