Two Orphaned Rhinos Return Home to Kaziranga After 5 Years

Two young rhinos who lost everything in monsoon floods just got their lives back.

Chandra and Kamal returned to Kaziranga National Park this week, five years after floodwaters swept through the Indian wildlife reserve and left them orphaned. Chandra was rescued in August 2020 when he was just a calf. Kamal followed a year later, discovered alone and distressed by forest officials.

Both mothers were gone by the time help arrived. The calves faced an uncertain future in a world where survival skills are passed down through years of maternal care.

That's when the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation stepped in. The facility specializes in an unusual challenge: raising wild animals without letting them become attached to humans. Staff hand-raised the young rhinos while carefully avoiding the bond that would make them dependent on people.

The center kept the animals at arm's length emotionally while teaching them everything a mother rhino would. Over four years, Chandra and Kamal learned to forage, navigate terrain, and behave like wild rhinos rather than pets.

A veterinary team led by Bhaskar Choudhury and forest officer Sourabh Buragohain oversaw their return this week. The rhinos weren't simply released into the 430-square-kilometer UNESCO World Heritage Site. Instead, they're now in a pre-release area where they'll adjust to completely wild conditions before roaming freely.

The Ripple Effect

This success story extends far beyond two rhinos. Since opening in 2002, the rehabilitation center has treated 7,397 animals across 357 species. An impressive 65% were released back to the wild after recovery.

The facility has now successfully returned 27 hand-raised rhinos to their natural habitats. Twenty-three went to Manas National Park, and four now call Kaziranga home. Each release represents years of patient work by veterinarians, wildlife experts, and keepers who understand that true conservation means letting go.

The center currently cares for one remaining rhino calf. That youngster will likely follow the same careful path Chandra and Kamal just completed.

This collaboration between the Assam Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India, and International Fund for Animal Welfare proves that even flood-orphaned wildlife can reclaim their wild lives with the right support.

Two rhinos who started life witnessing tragedy now have the chance to thrive in one of Asia's most important conservation areas.