Build more habitats for the one-horned rhino for their survival

In order to ensure that the one-horned rhino do not go extinct, it is necessary to build more habitats for them because the Kaziranga National Park and a few other protected areas of the state are home to nearly two-thirds of the rhino. This has been suggested by conservationists.
A report by WWF-India has brought the need to investigate the feasibility of reintroducing rhinos in other areas like the D'Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh apart from the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 25 February 2017.

Kaziranga has the maximum concentration of over 70% rhinos and any local catastrophe due to poaching, disease or some other factor could have a devastating effect.
Rhinos from Kaziranga and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have been reintroduced in Manas National Park and the Laokhowa-Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary under the state forest department's Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 which hopes to increase the population in the state to 3,000 by 2020. In order to achieve this target, the population in Assam needs to increase by three per cent every year and, by 2015, it has already reached 2,626.


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Patna's Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park could soon earn the distinction of hosting the highest number of captive one-horned rhinoceroses (or rhinoceros unicornis or Indian rhinoceros) in a zoo around the world. At present this biological park (also known as Patna zoo), has 10 one-horned rhinos and this is just one short of the number of rhinos in San Diego Zoo, California, US.
The number could soon change since a couple of the female rhinos in Patna zoo are expected to give birth in the next few months.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 6 October 2016.

Patna zoo is already the number one in Asia on this aspect and could become number one globally. The one-horned rhino is considered to be the largest in size and weight among the five existing species of the mammal, including the white, black, Sumatran and Javan rhinos and Patna zoo has five males and an equal number of female one-horned rhinos.
As per data provided by the zoo, 77 zoos across the world house around 200 rhinos and San Diego and Patna hold the top two spots for the largest number of rhinos in captivity. Basel Zoo in Switzerland has witnessed the highest number of live births of the Indian rhinoceros.
Incidentally, these animals reach a height of over two metres and on an average weigh up to 2,200kg. Horn of these species can reach a length of two feet and is the reason behind the poaching of this endangered animal. The horn is used in traditional medicine, and is also known for its ornamental value. The life-span of one-horned rhinoceros is around 40 years in the wild and around 47 years in captivity or in a protected environment. The age of those at Patna zoo is around three to 28 years.


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The government of Assam has announced that Kaziranga National Park would be thrown open for tourists from October 1 this year instead of November 1. The gates would be opened by Assam Forest Minister. The date for opening of the national park, famous for its one-horned rhino population, has been advanced this year as per the instructions of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in August.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 27 September 2016.

The elephant rides and jeep rides would be made available for tourists from October 1 but, there will be restrictions on the total distance of the Jeep Safari circuit because of ongoing repair works inside the park.
Due to severe floods in last two months, more than 80 percent of the park was submerged. The floods have washed away some small bridges inside the park and damaged the roads inside to a large extent.
Work is going on at a fast pace to meed the deadline. Normally the park is opened for tourists on November 1 and it gets closed on April 30 every year. Initially, only Western range, Bagori range, Central range and Kohora range would be opened for the tourists. Repair work on the roads in going and, once all the works are completed, the other ranges would also be opened for tourists.
The main attraction of the park is the one-horned rhino population. However, tourists also come to see the tigers, elephants, water buffaloes, hog deer, bear and other wildlife species apart from reptiles and winged species.


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Kaziranga National Park makes public a list of 323 poachers

#KazirangaNationalPark #onehornedrhino #rhinopoachers Number of rhinos killed in the Kaziranga National Park has been increasing over the years and from only five in 2011, it has gone up to 27 in 2013 as well as 2014. Total rhino population in 2013 was 2320.
The Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site and has the largest number of one-horned rhinos and, the Park authorities have, for the first time, made public a list of 323 poachers. A explained by Assam chief wildlife warden R.P. Agarwalla, the whole idea of making the list public is to build "social pressure" so that people know the identity of those who are indulging in such activities.
The list apparently has names of suspected, accused, arrested or wanted persons who have been found to be or suspected to be involved in poaching activities in the park in the past few years. The source of the names are varied and majority are believed from the Karbi Anglong and Sonitpur districts.
Moreover, apart from the names of poachers from various districts of Assam, there are names of people from neighboring Nagaland and Mizoram also.
Obviously, it is a huge network because in the northern side there is River Brahmaputra with its numerous islands/ saporis. There is also a very large population of traditional fishing communities all along the river and there are fears that some of them may be potential fieldmen to the poachers.