Assam’s way of scripting a success story in rhino conservation

The conservation history of wildlife in Assam achieved another milestone as no poaching of precious one-horned rhinoceros was recorded last year, thanks to hard laws, efficient forest staff (supported by Assam police) and increased public awareness in the recent past. Earlier, the north-eastern State achieved a record of zero-poaching in all forest reserves during 2022 for the first time since 1977. The single-horn rhinos (also known as rhinoceros unicorns) are killed by the poachers to take away the horns, which are believed to have aphrodisiac value.

A rhino horn can fetch a few hundreds of thousands of rupees in the illegal wildlife market. The single-horn rhinos have a significant population in Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), a UNESCO world heritage site, which gives shelter to nearly 2,700 animals. Other safe sanctuaries like Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve (another world heritage site supporting around 50 rhinos), Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (over 125 rhinos), Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (around 107), etc enhanced the cumulative rhino population in Assam crossing over 3000 marks. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently went on explaining that no poaching incident took place in Kaziranga, home to two-third of the global single-horn rhino population, for over 730 days (since February 2024 till date). The saffron leader claimed that the poaching of rhinos and other wildlife across the Assam forest reserves is drastically reduced due to various effective conservation efforts.

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He mentioned ‘Operation Falcon’, a multi-agency anti-poaching initiative launched by Assam police and State forest department officials in 2024, to ward off criminals. Under this operation, no less than 42 poachers were arrested, six major poaching gangs dismantled and nine poaching attempts foiled, he added. It was a prompt action that was taken following two adult rhinos being poached inside Kaziranga in January 2024. The previous year (2023) witnessed one incident of rhino poaching in Manas. Similarly, one poaching incident each took place in 2021 and 2020 inside Kaziranga, whereas three rhinos were killed in 2019 and seven in 2018.

Earlier, six rhinos were poached in 2017, 18 in 2016 and 17 in 2015. The previous years (2013 and 2014) shocked the people of Assam with the killing of 27 rhinos each time. The relentless murder of rhinos instigated the conservationists as well as thousands of wildlife lovers to raise a strong voice against the poaching of rhinos. Facing the heat, the government started adopting brutal laws against the poachers along with strengthening ground staff inside the protected forest areas as well as increasing surveillance and public awareness in fringe localities of every forest reserve. The common people of Assam irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious differences maintain a strong will to protect the giant animals.

Native to the Indian subcontinent, the single-horn rhinos are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and the giant animals are recognised as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Moreover, the international trade of rhino horns is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). So the guidelines empower forest rangers to use even harsh laws to protect the grass-eating pachyderm, which has a global population around 27,000 (most of them are two-horned rhinos).

The poaching of rhinos in South Africa even crosses 400 annually. Now after the decrease in rhino poaching in India and Nepal (it supports 750 single-horn rhinos), the pressure mounts on African countries to feed the demand of horns (grown by both males and females after attaining six years) in various Asian countries like China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, etc, where the people adore it as black ivory. On the occasion of World Rhino Day 2024, Assam government destroyed nearly 2,500 rhino horns seized and also stored by the authorities from the native forest reserves, where around 100 rhinos face natural deaths annually. The initiative was taken to counter the common belief that rhino horns are useful for increasing sexual power.

The veterinarians always argue that rhino horns comprise the same protein that constitutes the formation of hair and fingernails, and they do not possess any quality for sexual stimulation. The same year witnessed a massive wave of flood in Kaziranga by the water from the swollen Brahmaputra river on its northern border. A large part of the forest reserve with 430 square kilometre area (now extended to 1,300 sqkm) was inundated resulting in the drowning of 13 rhinos along with a large number of other wild animals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also appreciated the State government for preventing rhino killings in Kaziranga and other forest reserves in 2025 by strengthening wildlife protection and also promoting sustainable tourism in the region.

PM Modi on 18 January 2026 performed Bhoomi Puja for the Kaziranga elevated corridor project, which is termed as a landmark infrastructure initiative to ensure wildlife safety against the movement of vehicles on the elevated National Highway-715 (formerly NH-37) through Kaziranga. The environment-friendly highway project (worth over Rs 6,950 crore) includes a 34.45-km elevated wildlife corridor, developing bypasses at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat areas, and widening of the existing 86-kilometre highway from Kaliabor to Numaligarh to four lanes. Once completed, the vehicles will ply above without disturbing the traditional wildlife movement (mostly used by rhinos, elephants, tigers, etc) below.

It is also expected to reduce accidental deaths to wildlife while crossing the highway (more so during night hours) and also enhance the road connectivity with the eastern Assam localities including some areas of Arunachal Pradesh (and beyond). Addressing a public rally on the occasion, PM Modi pointed out that Kaziranga is not just a national park but the soul of Assam and a priceless jewel of India’s biodiversity. Hence protecting Kaziranga and its wildlife is not only about safeguarding the environment but also a responsibility towards Assam’s future and coming generations.

Modi, in the presence of Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, CM Sarma, State forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Union ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita with other dignitaries, did not forget to recall the words of music maestro Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, who described Kaziranga’s beauty and elegance with deep affection and care. KNPTR director Sonali Ghosh described the project as ‘designed to strike a balance between the demands of future growth and the need to protect the environment through conservation efforts’.

She asserted that Kaziranga isn’t simply a protected area, but a safe haven for rhinos, tigers, elephants, wild buffalo, swamp deer and many such priced wildlife. During the monsoon season, when a large section of the park becomes inundated due to high water levels, it prompts animals to move towards higher ground on Karbi Anglong hills in the southern direction. During the movements, many animals fall prey to accidents caused by fast-moving vehicles on NH-715. Despite speed limits and warning signs, accidents continued for decades, demonstrating the need for a permanent and comprehensive solution. An improved highway aligning with the wildlife underpasses was thus the need of the hour, she added.

(THE WRITER IS A GUWAHATI-BASED SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATESMAN)