World Rhino Day
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World Rhino Day is celebrated every year on September 22nd. The day is observed to raise awareness about rhinos and stresses on the importance of conserving them. The wonderful creatures with distinct horns and other imposing features are on the verge of extinction!
Black, White, Greater One-horned, Sumatran and Javan are the five species of rhinos. Poaching is a major threat to the rhino population. Their unique horns have a worldwide demand due to their therapeutic qualities.
The one-horned rhino or the Indian rhinoceros is listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
Home to more than 2,000 one-horned rhinos, the Kaziranga National Park is rich in flora and fauna. The other animals in the park include tigers, leopards, spotted deer, Indian wild elephants and wild buffaloes. Located in Assam, the national park is declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Spread over acres of land, the Kaziranga National Park has River Brahmaputra flowing on its north side and Karbi Anglong hills on its south side. The park is open to visitors from November to April every year. The authorities provide safari rides for the tourists at the park for exploring its rich wildlife.
History
By the early 1990s, the black rhino catastrophe in Zimbabwe caught the world’s attention. In 2010, World Wildlife Fund-South Africa decided to celebrate World Rhino Day on September 22nd. The day gained popularity the very next year. Thanks to the efforts of two women, Lisa Jane Campbell and Rhishja Cota.
Lisa and Rhishja vowed to protect the five species of rhinos worldwide and work towards their welfare. They organized a series of online and offline activities for educating people on the importance of conserving these magnificent creatures. Every year, on World Rhino Day, NGOs, zoos and wildlife organizations across the globe conduct several programs highlighting the need to protect the rhinoceros
Significance
Rhinos were earlier found across the continents, in Europe, Asia and Africa. It is estimated that there were around 500,000 rhinos in the world in the 20th century. The number of rhinos have come down drastically over the years.
There are just around 58 to 68 Javan rhinos left on the planet right now. Black rhinos are on the verge of extinction as well. The White rhinos are the most in number, there are around 20,000 white rhinos in the wild.
India has the largest population of Greater one-horned rhinoceros in the world. They feed on leaves, fruits and aquatic plants. 90 percent of these rhinos are living in the Kaziranga National Park.
India has launched several initiatives for conserving the precious animal. India, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia and Indonesia have signed the New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019 for the protection and conservation of Asian rhinos. This includes the Greater one-horned rhinos, Javan and Sumatran rhinos.
A National Rhino Conservation Strategy was also launched in the same year for the protection of Greater one-horned rhinoceros.
In our country, DNA profiles of all the rhinos are being made to curb poaching. This will help in gathering evidence in wildlife crimes involving rhinos.
Indian Rhino Vision 2020, was an ambitious effort to increase the population of Greater one-horned rhinos to 3,000 in the Indian state of Assam.
In 2022, India is home to around 3,700 rhinos. Even though these are encouraging figures, there is still more work to be done. The future of these glorious animals shall be secured through
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September 22nd
Kaziranga National Park