 Reference Base  Further observations on the Great Indian one-horned rhino... |
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Gee, E.P., 1953. Further observations on the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (R. unicornis Linn.). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 51 (4): 765-772, pls. 1-2
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India - Assam |
| Subject: |
Behaviour - Towards Man |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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The two rhino named Romeo and Juliet were twice involved in an attack against humans. Firstly on 7-2-1953 E. R. Dungan was taking cine shots of these two rhino as they were playing, courting and. chasing one another. With him were two companions, one of was the Assistant Conservator of Forests of the sanctuary. They apparently approached too close, and one of the two rhino started chasing the A.C.F. The A.C.F, a young man, ran as fast as he could over the dry ground, but the rhino put on a sudden burst of speed and easily caught up. With the impact of its nose and mouth on the shoulder of the A.C.F., the latter fell headlong and broke his collar-bone. The rhino then quietly departed without attempting further pursuit.
On 7-3-1953, when the Range Officer was taking the American Consul General round the sanctuary, both these (Romeo and Juliet) 'rushed towards the elephants and came as close as about 30 ft. but stopped in front of the elephants when the and Range Officer made a noise'.
In another part of the sanctuary recently a villager had placed some fish lines in the shallow stream which forms the so boundary. One day he was inspecting these fish lines. While his dug-out boat was being pushed through the thick water hyacinth it actually struck a rhino which was resting unobserved in the water. The rhino rose up, put its foot through the bottom of the boat and inflicted an injury on the man with one of its lower tushes, causing a gash 6 in. long on the thigh.
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