Assam: Feral horses roaming in Dibrugarh town safely rescued & relocated to Sisu Chapori

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Feral horses roaming through Assam’s Dibrugarh town were safely rescued by Forest Department and they were relocated to Sisu Chapori(sand bar) in Dibrugarh.

Taking to X, Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mall Baruah said, “Acting promptly on reports of feral horses roaming through Dibrugarh town, our Forest Department safely rescued them to prevent any mishap. Despite efforts, so far no owner could be traced,”.

“To ensure their long term safety and well being, all the rescued horses have now been relocated to Sisu Chapori, where they have access to ample grazing land, adequate fodder and a secure natural habitat,” he said.

For last several days, the feral horses were frequently spotted in Dibrugarh. Due to floods in Dhemaji and other sand bars of Dibrugarh, the feral horses comes out from their habitat and taken refuge in Dibrugarh town.

The feral horses are believed to be descendants of domesticated horses left behind during World War II. They now live in small herds across the floodplains and grasslands of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

“For last several days, I have spotted the feral horses roaming in Dibrugarh town. The horses have no owner. They have comes out from their habitat due to floods. Its a nice animal, the Assam government should take steps for the conservation of the animal,” said Arnab Sharma, a resident of Dibrugarh.

Feral horses are free-roaming horses that descended from a domesticated stock. But they have lived in the wild for almost 80 years in Dibru Saikhowa.

According to the study published in the Open Journal of Bioresources, “Feral horses mostly prefer grassy river flats, forests and woodlands. They use open areas where predators can be seen from a distance. They are found within a 5–6-kilometre range of water sources. Some of the areas in Dibru Saikhowa where feral horses are found are Churke Tapu, Arna Tapu, Kathalkuthi near Mieli Camp, Kobu Chapori.”

Also Read: NGT Directive: Scientific Study for Feral Horse Protection