Assam Celebrates World Rhino Day with Zero Poaching Milestone
Celebrating Rhino Conservation in Assam
File image of a Rhino in Kaziranga National Park.(Source: X)
Guwahati, Sept 22: On Tuesday, Assam commemorated World Rhino Day, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasizing the state's commitment to safeguarding the greater one-horned rhinoceros and celebrating its achievement of zero poaching incidents in 2025.
Sarma pointed out that Assam is home to approximately 80% of the global population of greater one-horned rhinos.
Recent statistics reveal that the state hosts 3,260 rhinos, compared to an estimated worldwide total of 4,075. "This World Rhino Day, we let the numbers speak for themselves," Sarma stated in a social media update.
Assam achieved zero recorded rhino poaching incidents in 2025, marking the second year since the 1970s to reach this milestone, following a similar record in 2022.
Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah reiterated the government's dedication to protecting the greater one-horned rhinoceros, calling it one of Assam's most treasured symbols of natural heritage.
The official theme for World Rhino Day 2026 is "Keep the Five Alive," which aims to promote the conservation and survival of the five remaining rhino species: white, black, greater one-horned, Javan, and Sumatran.
Assam's anti-poaching initiatives have also involved the destruction of a significant stockpile of rhino horns.
In 2021, the state government incinerated 2,479 horns at Bokakhat after verifying a total of 2,623 horns stored in government treasuries.
These horns were collected from rhinos that died naturally, accidentally, or were seized in wildlife crime investigations.
Baruah also highlighted the impressive recovery of rhinos in Manas National Park, where the species had been eradicated by 1993 due to poaching and conflict. Before their extinction, Manas was estimated to have housed 75-100 rhinos.
"Through years of dedicated conservation efforts, habitat protection, reintroduction initiatives, and community involvement, Assam has successfully reintroduced rhinos to Manas," the Forest Minister noted in a social media post.
Currently, more than 50 greater one-horned rhinos are thriving in Manas, with the population actively breeding, according to Baruah.
Manas has reported zero known rhino poaching incidents for three consecutive years, which Baruah attributes to effective conservation and community engagement.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reflected on Assam's previous struggles against rhino poaching, noting that several years of zero poaching have been recorded over the last decade due to political commitment and the efforts of dedicated forest personnel.
"With strong political will and the courage of our frontline forest workers, we have achieved a remarkable turnaround. Over the past decade, we have made the impossible possible, achieving multiple years of ZERO rhino poaching," he stated in a social media update.
Despite these conservation successes, Assam continues to face challenges in protecting rhino habitats and ensuring the species flourishes across its remaining territories.