Kaziranga (Assam):
British royal couple Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton today visited the Kaziranga National Park in a jeep safari. Wearing the Assamese honour scarf ‘Bihuwan’, they sat in an open jeep with security vehicles escorting them into the Bagori range of the world heritage site known for one-horned rhinos.
After they came out of the park, officials accompanying the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge briefed the waiting journalists at the gate of KNP saying the couple saw rhinos, buck deer, buffaloes and many other animals.
They also went to the Dunga and Rowmari Forest camps mostly inhabitated by rhinos and tigers in the park. They had breakfast at Bimoli camp and interacted with the KNP frontline staff asking about the habits of rhinos and elephants, the officials said.
They also enquired about the anti-poaching measures and if they were satisfied with the efforts. Prince William enquired about the challenges they faced in their efforts to keep the animals safe from poachers and if they required superior weapons.
The Duke and Dutchess also asked about the families of the forest personnel, they said. The couple was informed about forest conservation efforts and anti-poaching measures adopted to reduce the killing of rhinos by poachers.
Before setting out on the safari, the royal couple was welcomed in front of the Kaziranga Infomation Centre by Principal Chief Conservator of Forest O P Pandey and Additional PCCF N K Yadav with the traditional ‘Bihuwan’.
They read in detail the map of the park and information about the animals with senior forest officials explaining to them where the animals could be spotted.
