• Farmers of Rani Chapori Char in Kamrup (Metro) district are facing a serious crisis due to a herd of feral domestic buffaloes that has been damaging crops and posing a threat to human safety for the past two years.

What is Rani Chapori Char?

• A riverine sandbar (char) formed by the Brahmaputra River.
• Chars are highly fertile but fragile landscapes, supporting thousands of marginal farmers.
• Agriculture here includes vegetables, pulses, oilseeds, and paddy, making chars vital for local food security.

Nature of the problem

• The crisis began in 2024, when about eight domestic buffaloes appeared on the char.
• Their number has now increased to more than twenty, including calves.
• These buffaloes are believed to have been washed away during floods and later turned feral.
• The animals:
  • Appear mostly at night
  • Destroy crops like brinjal, cabbage, pumpkin, bottle gourd, and lady’s finger
  • Pose risks to human life and health

Administrative challenges

• The Forest Department has conducted multiple operations to trace and drive away the herd.
• Use of drones is restricted, as the area falls under a no-flying zone regulated by the Airports Authority of India.
• Capturing the animals is considered easier during the kharali season (dry winter months).
• Owners have submitted claims stating that the buffaloes were lost during floods, adding a legal and administrative dimension.

Environmental and health concerns

• Experts warn that feral buffaloes retain partial human imprinting, making their behaviour unpredictable.
• They pose risks of zoonotic diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.
• The issue reflects a growing challenge in human–animal conflict beyond wildlife, especially in flood-prone landscapes.

Exam Hook

Prelims – Statement-based Question

Q. With reference to chars in Assam, consider the following statements:

1. Chars are temporary riverine islands formed mainly by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
2. They are ecologically fragile but agriculturally fertile.
3. Rani Chapori Char is located in Upper Assam.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only

One-line wrap:
Rani Chapori Char shows how floods can turn domestic animals feral, creating new risks for farmers in Assam’s fragile riverine landscapes.