GREATER
ONE HORNED RHINO - ENVIRONMENT
News:
International Rhino
Foundation applauds India’s successful conservation of greater one-horned rhino
What's
in the news?
●
The International
Rhino Foundation (IRF), a US-based organisation working for the
conservation of five rhinoceros species in Africa and Asia since the Nineties,
has applauded India’s successful conservation of the greater one-horned rhino,
especially in Assam but still stressed on “sustained” monitoring for their
effective protection.
Key
takeaways:
●
The IRF, founded in 1993, “recognising”
that all five rhino species were facing
an escalating crisis has been supporting conservation efforts in several
countries in Africa and Asia.
●
It has also lauded the research-driven
work of the Aaranyak team for the conservation of the one-horned Indian rhino
and other important species, habitat protection and restoration, engagement of
community in conservation efforts.
Aaranyak
Statement:
●
The Aaranyak statement said the IRF was
looking forward to a much longer association with the biodiversity conservation
group for the conservation of the greater one-horned rhino.
●
The IRF, whose mission is to ensure the
survival of rhinos through strategic partnerships, targeted protection, and
scientifically sound interventions, has been working with the Aaranyak for
about 12 years on rhino conservation issues.
Population
Status of Greater One Horned Rhinos:
●
The population of one-horned rhinos in the
world stood at about 4,014 of which
around 3,250 are found in India with
Assam leading the count with about 2,893.
●
In Assam, the rhino-bearing protected
areas are Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve (2613), Orang National
Park (125), Manas National Park & Tiger Reserve (48), and Pobitora Wildlife
Sanctuary (107).
Greater
One-horned Rhinos:
●
The greater one-horned rhino (Indian rhino) is the largest of the rhino
species.
Physical
Appearance:
●
Indian Rhinos are brownish-grey in colour
and are hairless.
●
They have knobby skin that appears to be
armour-plated. A single horn sits on top of their snout and their upper lip is
semi-prehensile.
●
The greater one-horned rhino is identified
by a single black horn about 8-25 inches long and a grey-brown hide with skin
folds, which gives it an armour-plated appearance.
Habitat:
●
It is confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas.
●
The Great one-horned rhino is commonly
found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in
Assam, India.
Conservation
Status:
Greater One-Horned Rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) - Vulnerable.
Conservation
efforts:
●
The Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF) has launched a National
Conservation Strategy for Indian One-Horned Rhino and the conservation
initiatives for Rhino has also enriched the grassland management which helps in
reducing the negative impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration.
●
New
Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019: Signed by India, Bhutan,
Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia to conserve and protect the rhinos.
●
Project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos by the Ministry of Environment
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
●
Indian
Rhino Vision 2020: It is a unique programme where the
government partnered international, national and local organisations for the
conservation of the rhinos. Under it, Manas has received a total of 22 rhinos
from other protected areas.
●
The Indian and Nepalese governments have
taken major steps toward Indian Rhinoceros conservation with the help of the
World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Go
back to basics:
Five
Rhino species:
●
White
Rhinos - Africa
●
Black
Rhinos - Africa
●
Greater
one-horned Rhinos - India
●
Javan
Rhinos - Asia
●
Sumatran
Rhinos - Asia.