India Monsoon: Armored rhinos die in national park

The heavy monsoon rains in India have cost the lives of more than 130 animals - including six armored rhinos, whose species is threatened with extinction.

They lived in the Kaziranga National Park in the Indian state of Assam, which is currently partially flooded, as local media - such as the television station NDTV - reported on Tuesday, citing park employees. Due to the masses of water, the animals had to fight their way through the floods and some drowned. Around 100 could have been saved, it was said. Most of the animals killed were deer.

According to the animal protection organization WWF, there are around 4,000 rhinos left in the world. They live in north-eastern India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The monsoon season in South Asia usually lasts from June to September - and hundreds of people die every year. The rain is also vital for agriculture. At the same time, however, it repeatedly causes great damage - destroying houses, triggering landslides and flooding roads.

SDA