30th March 2022 (5 Topics)

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Population of one-horned rhinos rises by 200 at Kaziranga National Park

Context

According to a recent survey, the population of one-horned rhinoceros at the Kaziranga National Park has registered an increase of 200, taking the total to 2,613.

This was the 14^th Rhino Population Census.

About

Key Findings:

The survey revealed the presence of:
- 1,823 adult rhinos (above six years)
- 365 sub-adult (between three to six years)
- 279 juvenile (one to three years)
- calves 146 (0 to one year)
Assam now has an estimated 2,845 rhinos, the highest in India, if the figures of the recent surveys in two other rhino habitats are factored in.
The Orang National Park has 125 rhinos while the Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary has 107 rhinos, a rise of 24 and five over the 2018 survey figures.
The census at Manas National Park found 48 rhinos in April 2021.

Important facts about Rhino

There are five species and 11 subspecies of rhino. White, Black, Indian, Javan, and Sumatran make up the five species of rhino in the world.
- White and black rhinoceros are native to Africa.
- Indian, Javan and Sumatran can be found in India and Asia.
Habitat: The animal is primarily found in the Himalayan foothills — India and Nepal.
World Rhino Day is celebrated on September 22 to make people more aware about rhinos and promote its conservation.

Conservation Status

The IUCN lists the one-horned rhino, also known as the Indian rhinoceros, as vulnerable.
Rhinoceros are listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as endangered animals.
The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 allows for destruction of wildlife parts (including rhino horn) under Section 39 (3).
There is an international ban on trade of rhino horns under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).

About Kaziranga National Park (KNP):

It is located in the State of Assam and covers 42,996 Hectare (ha).
It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
Legal Status:
- It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
- It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq km with a core area of 430 sq. km.
International Status:
- It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
Important Species Found:
- It is the home of the world's most one-horned rhinos.
- Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of one-horned rhinos in the world and second highest number of Rhinos in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
- Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga are focused on the 'big four' species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
- Kaziranga is also home to 9 of the 14 species of primates found in the Indian subcontinent.

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Population of one-horned rhinos rises by 200 at Kaziranga National Park