Thread by @weatherindia

Poaching of #rhinos in #Assam for the animal's precious horns has reduced by more than 86 per cent in the past three years, Environment and Forest Minister @ParimalSuklaba1 said as #WorldRhinoDay was celebrated on Tuesday.

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(📸: IANS)

Poaching of #rhinos in #Assam for the animal's precious horns has reduced by more than 86 per cent in the past three years, Environment and Forest Minister @ParimalSuklaba1 said as the #WorldRhinoDay was celebrated.

With an estimated #Rhinoceros population of 2,640, #Assam has the largest number of Indian one-horn rhinos in the world.

#WorldRhinoDay

"Of the five species of rhinos found in the world today, Assam hosts the largest population of great Indian One-horned Rhino. During the latest census exercise conducted in 2018, a total of 2650 rhinos were found across the protected areas of Assam," added @ParimalSuklaba1.

However, every year, almost a hundred #Rhinos die due to natural causes such as old age, diseases, and in-fights, along with natural disasters such as #floods.

#WorldRhinoDay

According to Sailendra Pandey, Public Relations Officer of Assam's Environment and Forest Department, of the 2,650 Rhino in Assam, an estimated 2401 are at the world-famous Kaziranga National Park (KNP) alone.

#WorldRhinoDay

The #WorldRhinoDay, first announced by WWF-South Africa in 2010, is observed every year on September 22 to celebrate the world's five #rhinoceros species and to reflect on the challenges faced by them.

The floods in #Assam have also badly hit wild animals in various sanctuaries and national parks including the world-famous #KazirangaNationalPark, where 18 rhinos and 135 wild animals died due to the deluge this year.

@assam

The animals that perished this year in the park include 18 rhinos, 107 hog deer, 12 wild boars, six wild buffaloes, four porcupines, and three swamp deer. The 172 rescued animals include three rhinos, 120 hog deer, 31 pythons, and four cobras.

#WorldRhinoDay

Meanwhile, Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate, who had visited the Kaziranga National Park in April 2016 to learn about conservation and anti-poaching efforts, have expressed deep concern over the devastation by floods in Assam.

#WorldRhinoDay

The British royals, known formally as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, in a letter to Sivakumar, expressed distress over the enormous damage to the world-famous park and its precious wildlife.

#WorldRhinoDay

"The deaths of so many animals, including one-horned rhinos, are deeply upsetting," the couple said in their letter.

#WorldRhinoDay

Besides the #KazirangaNationalPark, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati, Manas National Park, and Orang National Park are other three habitats of the #Rhinos where around 240 Rhinoceros are expected to be inhabited.

#WorldRhinoDay