 Reference Base  The current state of rhino in Assam and threats in the 21... |
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Talukdar, B.K., 2000. The current state of rhino in Assam and threats in the 21st century. Pachyderm 29: 39-47, fig. 1, photos 1-5, tables 1-6
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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Conserving and protecting rhino in the 21st century in Assam will depend on continued relentless efforts by the forest staty to save the rhinos from poachers. Poaching will remain a major threat to the rhino population. Therefore, anti-poaching efforts have to be improved and maintained. Receiving information in advance on the movement of poachers and wildlife smugglers is extremely crucial in apprehending illegal wildlife traders and disrupting their activities. It is therefore imperative that clandestine channels of information are developed and a collection system is maintained to assist anti-poaching staff. In addition to the hazards caused by rhino poachers, natural floods and diseases, the state ofassam is likely to experience a further increase in human population. Weakly protected rhino sanctuaries would easily fall prey to encroachers, especially around the Brahmaputra Valley. Unless the government of Assam expands its rhino sanctuaries in the next two years, the increased human population pressure will threaten the future of the rhino living in the few existing pockets like Kaziranga, Orang, Pabitora and Manas.
The six additions to KNP cover an area of 430 kmy . Some were handed over to KNP last year, but the government has not yet handed over the sixth addition, which covers an area of around 376 km'. The expanded area to Pabitora Sanctuary also urgently needs to be handed over to provide more habitat for the increasing population of rhinos in Pabitora. It will also reduce the incidence of rhinos straying out of the sanctuary because habitat and food are in short supply. A number of water bodies in the rhino-bearing areas in Assam have shrunk in size and depth because of the siltation brought about by flooding. It is therefore imperative that these water bodies be desilted to maintain the wetland habitats for the rhinos. The future of the rhino will depend not only on ecological and natural factors but also on sociopolitical factors. The need is urgent to enhance the existing intelligence network and to initiate social welfare for the fringe villages with the aim of controlling village population explosion. If zero population growth could be achieved in the villages at the fringes of the rhino-bearing protected areas, the conflict between villagers and rhinos would be reduced. The Forest Department and the NGOs need to work together to achieve this uphill task.
Hence challenges before us are many, and only coordinated efforts will help us achieve our task of rhino conservation during the 21st century. Working in isolation will create more problems than solutions. With dedicated efforts, the Forest Department, which has nearly a hundred year of experience in rhino conservation, and with support from the NG0s and local people, the challenging task of conserving rhinos in Assam for next hundred years seems not a distant cry. Periodic evaluation of the successes and the failures of rhino conservation in various parts of Assam by the Forest Department and the NGOs will certainly make action at the appropriate time more possible.
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