A Symbol of Hope : Kaziranga’s Rhino Conservation efforts bear fruits !
World Rhino Day, commemorated annually on September 22, highlights the international effort to protect rhino populations. This occasion raises awareness about rhino conservation and the threats they face. In the face of increasing challenges such as poaching and habitat loss, this day serves as a call to action. The Western Black Rhino and the Northern White Rhino, both from the African Continent, are two rhino species that have recently become extinct in the wild. Currently, five species of rhino exist in the wild: Africa’s Black and White rhinos, South Asia’s Sumatran and Javan rhinos, and the Greater One-Horned rhino found in the Indian Peninsula and Nepal. Approximately 28,000 rhinos remain globally.
I am fortunate to live in a region inhabited by the endangered one-horned Indian rhinoceros (rhinoceros unicornis) with the remarkable Kaziranga National Park, boasting the world’s highest population of this species. Although Indian one-horned rhinos possess a robust physiology, remnants of the Jurassic era, they too face threats of extinction primarily due to poaching driven by fallacious assumptions about rhino horn’s aphrodisiac properties. With its unique armor-plated physique and singular horn, the species epitomizes India’s varied biodiversity. Around India’s independence in 1947, the one-horned rhinoceros faced a severe decline in numbers due to habitat loss, poaching, and human encroachment. By the mid-20th century, their population had dwindled to alarming levels, with only a few hundred individuals left, particularly in Assam. However, the trajectory of the species began to shift dramatically due to focused conservation efforts. The Indian government, in collaboration with Assam’s state authorities and local stakeholders, enforced rigorous anti-poaching protocols within designated protected areas, such as Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, and initiated awareness drives highlighting the significance of rhino conservation. These efforts led to a remarkable recovery of the species. In fact, the population has grown by 27% since 2006, with Kaziranga National Park housing the largest number of rhinos, approximately 2,613 individuals. Other significant rhino populations can be found in Orang National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, and Manas National Park in Assam, as well as Jaldapara National Park and Gorumara National Park in West Bengal. Overall, the current rhino population in India is approximately 3,262 individuals, according to the latest estimates. This number is part of the larger global population of Indian rhinos, which stands at around 4,014 individuals, with the remaining populations found in Nepal and Bhutan. (Data source : Google)
The impressive rhino population especially in Kaziranga has transformed it into a key tourist destination, stimulating economic progress and contributing to state and national prosperity.
A Personal Odyssey : Watching Rhinos in the Wild
I first encountered the Indian rhinoceros in the wild roughly 25 years ago at Kaziranga National Park, which marked my initial exploration of this outstanding ecological reserve. Subsequent observations at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, around 50 odd kms from Assam’s bustling metropolis Guwahati, were profoundly impactful too. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, though smaller in size compared to Kaziranga, boasts of an exceptionally high density of the one-horned rhinoceros, making it a must-visit for wildlife enthusiasts. For those who want to seek the thrill of proximity, elephant rides especially in the Kaziranga N.P. are a surreal experience, as you sway on the back of an elephant, gliding through tall grasses, where the rhino often appears like a monolithic statue, still and ancient, yet alert to every movement. Riding elephants to witness these majestic animals elicits a sense of traversing ancient epochs. The gypsy safaris provide a faster-paced adventure, as you weave through the forest paths, encountering rhinos that sometimes feel as immovable as the hills themselves, standing in their natural fortresses of marsh and grass.
Further revisiting my Kaziranga sojourn, I recall the sensation of entering a globally acclaimed sanctuary, where the incredible rhino species found here, move freely against a picturesque tapestry of grasslands, swamps, and dense forests. Every corner of the park offers a different chapter of this untamed wilderness, making the debate over which range provides the best view of the rhino, is akin to choosing between different masterpieces in an art gallery. In the southern floodplains of the mighty Brahmaputra, Kaziranga National Park is divided into four main ranges for —Eastern, Western, Central, and Burapahar—each presenting a unique canvas for spotting these majestic creatures. The Western Range at Bagori is often likened to the “grand stage,” where the rhinos seem to be the star performers, grazing and wallowing in the open grasslands. The Central Range at Kohora, meanwhile, is considered the heart of the park, offering a balanced blend of dense forests and open plains, where the rhinos appear like ghosts emerging from the morning mist. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sees tens of thousands of visitors each year, all hoping for a glimpse of this prehistoric giant. Whether one is traversing the Eastern Agoratoli Range, with its thick vegetation and birdlife, or the remote and rugged Burapahar Range, every encounter with a rhino feels like witnessing a miracle of survival—an animal once on the brink of extinction now thriving in this Eden of Assam.
Rise of the Rhinos : Kaziranga’s triumph in Rhino Conservation
Kaziranga’s success in rhino conservation is largely due to the relentless efforts of the frontline forest guards. They conduct regular patrols, often on foot, by boat, or on elephants, across the vast and dense park. These teams ensure that poachers are deterred and any signs of illegal activity are swiftly addressed. Guards are trained and armed to confront poachers who are often part of well-organized criminal networks. To counter contemporary threats, park authorities have integrated cutting-edge surveillance technologies, including drones, thermal imaging cameras, and GPS tracking, to monitor rhino and suspected poacher movements, thereby enhancing forest guards’ real-time response capabilities to poaching incidents.
Local communities around Kaziranga are now integral to conservation efforts. Education programs and initiatives that involve local populations in tourism and conservation activities have fostered a sense of ownership and responsibility toward protecting rhinos. Few notable programs like the Kaziranga Karbi Anglong Landscape program, KNP Eco development committees, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) livelihood program,etc. have strengthened the bond between the people and the park, making local communities guardians of the rhino’s future.
The combination of these efforts has played a crucial role in protecting the rhinos, allowing the population to recover and thrive in Kaziranga. The park’s success is a model for other conservation programs worldwide.
A Final Reflection
To conclude, I would like to draw attention to a documentary by Kevin Pietersen, the erstwhile mercurial cricketer & former skipper of England. Pietersen’s affinity for rhino conservation began in the early 2010s when fellow cricketer Graeme Smith took him to Kruger National Park for a rhino tagging initiative. This sparked a deepening commitment to fighting rhino poaching and habitat loss globally, ultimately prompting the establishment of Saving Our Rhinos Africa & India (SORAI), a charitable organization dedicated to protecting these majestic creatures.
“Save This Rhino: India” (which premiered on World Rhino Day, September 22, on Nat Geo Wild) was shot in Kaziranga National Park, and these words of Pietersen effectively summarizes the work behind rhino conservation in Kaziranga ~ “The docu-series is a story. A story about the beauty of Kaziranga National Park, the fabulous people who live alongside the animals, the technology that we launch in the area to help the animal-human conflict, the Brahmaputra river that floods every year and the disastrous consequences to it — and most importantly —why India is among the global leaders in rhino conservation, the work that’s been put behind achieving this, and how the numbers are flourishing.”
