Horn Not OK Please - Support Rohit's mission to save the Indian Rhino

The Greater One Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhinoceros is tagged vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Merciless poaching for it’s horn, loss of habitat and diseases pose serious risk to this solitary creature. Their population has declined worldwide. There are approximately 3500 Indian rhinos remaining and 82% of them are found in India. 

For the past 5 decades, WWF India has been working to protect and conserve rhinos across 4 states: Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Our work involves:

- Indian Rhino Vision 2020 - WWF India has been working to implement the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) in Assam in partnership with the Assam Forest Department. IRV 2020 aims to secure the long-term survival of wild rhinos in Assam by increasing the population to 3,000 by 2020 and expanding their distribution across seven protected areas to reduce risks like disease, in-breeding depression and mass mortality.

- Translocation - Over 90 percent of India’s rhinos are concentrated in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, putting them at risk of an outbreak of disease, natural calamities like flooding and poaching. WWF India translocates rhinos from wild-to-wild safely to help to rebuild a healthy breeding population of rhinos in another Protected Area.

- Secure and manage the habitats for rhino - Grasslands and wetlands are monitored, conserved and protected to maintain the health of ecosystem. Security measure are enhanced by building the capacity of the Forest Department staff, deploying sniffer dogs, using metal detectors, and by promoting use of cutting edge technology and tools, among others to reduce poaching instances.

- Community Engagement – Awareness and educational programmes are conducted for communities living around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, and they are assisted on strengthening livelihood options.

1. Fulfilling the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 – Increasing the population of Greater One Horned Rhino in Assam from approximately 2500 individuals to 3000 by the end of 2020 ensure that these rhinos are distributed over at least seven protected areas.

2. Healthy homes for rhinos – Managing and preserving the grassland ecosystems for rhinos. Healthy habitat means healthy homes and healthy rhinos. The quality of habitats can determine the health of the rhino population. Provide new habitats to secure the future of the rhinos and expand their range expansion through wild to wild translocation and also facilitate natural colonization by securing the wildlife corridors.

3.Puttting an end to illegal wildlife trade and poaching – Merciless poaching of rhinos for their horn and other body parts is the biggest threat to the rhinos. To maintain and enhance the security and enforcement measures, a slew of measures will be undertaken ranging from building the capacity of frontline staff, promoting usage of technological tools, deployment of sniffer dogs to nab poachers and smugglers, and strengthen coordination at different levels.

4. Strengthen community engagements - Support from communities, primarily those living on the fringes of the National Parks and Wildlife Santuaries in imperative. The fringe community will be kept abreast of the developments and plans by organizing awareness programs. Also, need-based support will be extended to villagers in order to strengthen livelihoods.

LATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Earlier this year, a baby calf was born in Manas National Park. The rhino mother was relocated from Pobitora Wildlife Santuary to Manas National Park in 2010. The new rhino calf is her third calf since relocation.