Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros
### 📍 Why in News?
– A suspected case of poaching of the one-horned rhino has been reported from Kaziranga National Park, Assam — a key conservation concern.
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## 🧬 About the Greater One-Horned Rhino
– Scientific Name: *Rhinoceros unicornis*
– Common Name: Indian Rhinoceros
– Family: Rhinocerotidae
– Distinct Feature: Single black horn (20–60 cm); grey-brown skin with folds giving an armour-like appearance
– Diet: Primarily grazers – feed on grasses, leaves, fruits, aquatic plants
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### 🌍 Global Context – Five Rhino Species
| Species | Region | IUCN Status |
|———————-|—————-|———————-|
| Black Rhino | Africa | Critically Endangered |
| White Rhino | Africa | Near Threatened |
| One-Horned Rhino | South Asia | Vulnerable |
| Javan Rhino | Southeast Asia | Critically Endangered |
| Sumatran Rhino | Southeast Asia | Critically Endangered |
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## 🗺️ Distribution and Habitat
### 🟢 In India:
– Found in Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh
– Confined to alluvial floodplain grasslands and riverine forests
### 📌 Major Protected Areas:
| State | Protected Area | Rhino Population (Approx.) |
|————–|——————————————|—————————-|
| Assam | Kaziranga National Park (UNESCO Site) | ~2,400 |
| | Manas National Park | |
| | Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary | |
| | Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park | |
| **West Bengal**| Gorumara and Jaldapara National Parks | <100 |
| **Uttar Pradesh**| Dudhwa National Park | Few dozen |
> Note: Kaziranga alone holds over 70% of the global population of this species.
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### 📊 Population Estimate (India-wide)
– Total: ~3,000 (as of 2022–23)
– Conservation Trend: Positive growth due to effective protection and translocation programs
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## 🛡️ Protection Status
| Organization | Status |
|———————–|—————-|
| IUCN Red List | Vulnerable |
| CITES | Appendix I |
| Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 | Schedule I |
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## ⚠️ Major Threats
1. Poaching for horn (used in traditional Chinese medicine)
2. Habitat loss and fragmentation (agriculture, settlement, infrastructure)
3. Human-wildlife conflict
4. Floods in Brahmaputra basin (Kaziranga is highly flood-prone)
5. Invasive species like *Mimosa invisa* outcompeting native fodder
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## 🧩 Conservation Measures
### 🟨 Government & Legal Initiatives
– Project Rhino: Assam government initiative to protect rhino habitats
– Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020):
– Launched in 2005
– Aim: Increase rhino population in Assam to 3,000 by 2020 across 7 protected areas
– Implemented by: Assam Forest Department, WWF-India, IRF, and Bodo Territorial Council
### 🟩 Newer Initiatives:
– Kaziranga Management Plan
– Use of drones and electronic surveillance
– Anti-poaching camps and community involvement
– Translocation efforts from Kaziranga to Manas, Orang, and Pobitora