Guwahati, Sept 22: On World Rhino Day, Assam on Tuesday showcased its remarkable achievements in protecting the greater one-horned rhinoceros, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declaring that the state is home to nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population of the species and recorded zero known poaching incidents in 2025.
In a message marking the global observance, whose theme this year is “Keep the Five Alive,” the Chief Minister said the numbers themselves told the story of Assam’s conservation success. “This World Rhino Day, we let the numbers do the talking,” Sarma posted, highlighting that Assam hosts around 3,260 greater one-horned rhinos — the largest concentration anywhere on the planet.
Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah joined the Chief Minister in reaffirming the government’s commitment to anti-poaching measures, habitat protection and long-term conservation. Baruah described the one-horned rhino as one of Assam’s most cherished symbols of natural heritage and stressed the need to safeguard all five surviving rhino species worldwide — the white, black, greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran.
The zero-poaching milestone for 2025 marks only the second such year for Assam since the 1970s, according to recent assessments by the International Rhino Foundation. Conservationists credit sustained anti-poaching operations, community involvement, improved surveillance in key habitats such as Kaziranga National Park, and stronger inter-agency coordination for the turnaround after decades of pressure from organised wildlife crime.
Even as the state celebrated its progress, law-enforcement agencies continued their vigilance. In Behali, police acting on a specific tip-off arrested a suspected rhino horn smuggler and recovered the contraband on Sunday evening. Officials said the accused was allegedly carrying the horn for sale, and investigations are under way to identify the supplier and possible network links.
Assam’s rhino strongholds — including Kaziranga, Manas, Orang and Pobitora — remain critical to the global survival of the species. While population numbers have stabilised and grown in recent years, officials acknowledge ongoing challenges such as habitat fragmentation, invasive vegetation, seasonal flooding and the constant threat of organised poaching syndicates.
World Rhino Day, observed every September 22, aims to raise awareness about the five remaining rhino species and the threats they face from habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade. For Assam, the day has become an occasion both to take stock of hard-won gains and to renew the pledge of zero tolerance towards those who target its iconic wildlife.
