Rhinos are found in India, representing one of the greatest success stories in Asian wildlife conservation. This achievement centers on the population growth in the northeastern states, a remarkable rebound from near-extinction a century ago. The concerted efforts of the Indian government and international partners have secured a future for this animal, transforming its status into a symbol of national heritage.
The Greater One-Horned Rhino
The species native to the Indian subcontinent is the Greater One-Horned Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), also known as the Indian Rhino. This species is easily distinguished from its African counterparts by the presence of a single horn, composed of keratin. The horn can grow to lengths of up to 24 inches (61 cm).
The animal’s most striking physical characteristic is its thick, silver-brown skin, which is folded into deep creases around the neck, shoulders, and rump. These prominent skin folds give the rhino a unique, plated, or armor-like appearance. It is the second largest living rhino species, with adult males often weighing between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,800 to 2,700 kg).
The Greater One-Horned Rhino is a grazer, and its diet consists almost entirely of tall grasses, supplemented by leaves, branches, fruits, and aquatic plants. Their immense size and herbivorous diet make them instrumental in shaping the alluvial floodplain ecosystems they inhabit. The species has relatively poor eyesight but compensates with an acute sense of hearing and smell, which aids in navigation and detecting threats.
Critical Habitats and Geographic Range
The geographic range of the Greater One-Horned Rhino is now restricted to the Indo-Nepal Terai region and the northern parts of West Bengal and Assam in India. Historically, their range extended across the entire northern Indian subcontinent along the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra river basins. Today, the population is confined to a few isolated protected areas.
The preferred habitat is the fertile environment of alluvial floodplain grasslands and riverine forests. These areas are characterized by tall, nutrient-rich grasses, such as Saccharum spontaneum, which form the bulk of the rhino’s diet. Proximity to water is necessary, as they are semi-aquatic and spend a significant portion of the day wallowing in mud and water to regulate body temperature and control parasites.
The state of Assam is the current stronghold, hosting the large majority of the Indian rhino population across four main protected areas. Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most important habitat, containing over two-thirds of the world’s population. Significant populations are also found in:
- Orang National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, and Manas National Park in Assam.
- Jaldapara National Park and Gorumara National Park in northern West Bengal.
Population Recovery and Current Status
The history of the Indian rhino is one of remarkable recovery following decline due to hunting and habitat loss in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By the early 1900s, the global population had plummeted to fewer than 200 individuals. Strict protection measures implemented by the governments of India and Nepal allowed the species to rebound dramatically over the last century.
The species is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, a testament to conservation efforts that have nearly tripled the population in the last four decades. The global population of Greater One-Horned Rhinos now stands at over 4,000 individuals, with India contributing the vast majority. The 2022 census for Kaziranga National Park alone recorded 2,613 rhinos, an increase of 200 individuals since the 2018 count.
A significant conservation initiative was the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020), which aimed to achieve a wild population of 3,000 rhinos across seven protected areas in Assam. This program successfully established a new population in Manas National Park through translocations, helping the park regain its World Heritage Site status. The greatest current threat remains poaching for the horn, driven by demand for its perceived medicinal properties in Asian markets.
To combat this, a multi-pronged anti-poaching strategy has been implemented, including the deployment of armed commandos, intelligence gathering, and the use of technology like satellite phones. Strict enforcement has yielded historic results, with Assam achieving zero rhino poaching in 2022 after two decades of losses. Habitat management, including the removal of invasive plant species and the expansion of protected areas, continues to be a core part of securing the rhino’s long-term survival.