Rhino Research and Conservation Initiative

The rhino has always been in the focus of wildlife conservation efforts in Assam and Aaranyak has been assisting rhino conservation in Assam with wide range of initiatives. The conservation of Rhinoceros unicornis in its range countries, specifically India and Nepal has become a real challenge in recent decades as the habitat the species occupy has been facing socio-political and insurgent induced unrest. Assam harbours about 70 percent of the wild Indian Rhino population of the world while Nepal shelters about 25 percent while North Bengal and Uttar Pradesh in India shelters the rest 5 percent of the population. The conservation initiative of rhino in Assam is over 100 years old and that has become the epitome of conservation movement in Assam. Thanks to dedicated efforts of various forest officers. Currently Kaziranga NP is having 2048 rhinos, Rajiv Gandhi Orang NP is having 64 rhinos and Pabitora WLS is having 84 rhinos as estimated in 2009 by the Assam Forest Department with financial support rendered by Aaranyak, International Rhino Foundation and WWF-AREAS Programme through Asian Rhino Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN.

One of the salient projects that Aaranyak has taken in association with the UK based The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) and Assam Forest Department is a Ten Year Wireless Communication Enhancement Project for Kaziranga National Park that started in the year 2003. Till date over 190 walkie talkie sets and over 40 wireless base stations were given to Kaziranga NP authorities to enhance communication among the anti-poaching camps and officials of Kaziranga NP authorities.

Two anti-poaching floating boat camps were sponsored by Aaranyak and The DSWF to enhance vigilance in river Brahmaputra along the northern part of Kaziranga NP. The first boat camp was funded by the BBC Wildlife Fund while the second boat camp was funded by David Back representing London Property Industry through DSWF and Aaranyak.

Aaranyak and the DSWF with support received from European Association of Zoo and Aquarium (EAZA) and Save the Rhino International provided wireless equipments and rain coats to anti-poaching forest staffs of Pabitora WLS in Assam which happens to be the site of highest density of Indian rhino.

To monitor the straying rhinos outside the rhino bearing areas, Aaranyak in association with the Asian Rhino Project supported by Taronga Foundation has put into service two motor bikes for regular monitoring of strayed rhino to ensure that the rhinos get back to the protected areas without being harmed by poachers.

The Rhino Research and Conservation Initiative in collaboration with the Geo-Spatial Technology and Application Programme is doing details mapping of rhino habitats in Assam and changes taking place in rhino habitats due to various natural and man-induced factors. A publication entitled "Indian Rhinos in Protected Areas of Assam - A geo-spatial documentation of habitat changes and threats" was published by Aaranyak in 2007.

Map (L) showing erosion and deposition in Orang NP and Map (R) Shows change in grassland in Manas NP