New Delhi / Guwahati, September 23: In a significant boost to India’s wildlife conservation efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the launch of Project Rhino on the occasion of World Rhino Day. The initiative is designed to provide sustained financial and technical support to states that host populations of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, focusing on protection, habitat management, genetic improvement and scientific understanding of population dynamics.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister celebrated the “magnificent greater one-horned rhinoceros” and paid tribute to those working on the frontlines of its protection. He specifically highlighted Assam’s central role, noting that the state now holds nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population of the species. Kaziranga National Park’s determined campaign to eliminate rhino poaching, he said, has been extensively appreciated.
“Taking species conservation in the country forward, I am happy to share that Project Rhino has been initiated for financial and technical support to the range states for protection, habitat management, genetic improvement and understanding population dynamics,” Modi wrote.
The announcement comes at a time when India has recorded encouraging progress in securing the future of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, also known as the Indian rhino. According to the latest assessments, the global population of the species stands at approximately 4,075. Assam alone is home to an estimated 3,260 of these animals, accounting for nearly four-fifths of the world total. Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shelters more than 2,600 rhinos — the largest single concentration of the species anywhere on the planet. Manas National Park supports another 40 to 50 animals, while smaller populations exist in Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement and underscored the state’s recent conservation successes. He noted that Assam recorded zero known rhino poaching incidents in 2025 — only the second such year since the 1970s, after a similar achievement in 2022. “We remain committed to rhino protection, maintaining zero poaching and continuously enhancing their habitats to ensure a thriving environment for their survival,” Sarma said. With the launch of Project Rhino, he added, the state’s efforts will receive a further boost.
The turnaround in Assam’s rhino protection record is striking. In the mid-2010s, the state suffered years in which nearly 30 rhinos were killed by poachers in a single year. Coordinated intelligence gathering, stronger enforcement, improved surveillance and the dedication of frontline forest personnel and local communities have driven an estimated 86 per cent decline in poaching attempts since 2016. Manas National Park, which lost its entire rhino population in the early 1990s, has also recorded three consecutive years without known poaching, signalling a successful recovery through reintroduction and community participation.
Beyond Assam, the Prime Minister pointed to positive developments in other range states. Rhinos have either returned or are being effectively protected in parts of Bihar and West Bengal. In Uttar Pradesh, the successful reintroduction of the species in Dudhwa National Park is being described as a historic step. These efforts, Modi said, reflect the sustained commitment of people, governments and conservationists towards animal protection and active wildlife management across the rhino range.
Project Rhino is expected to build on these gains by strengthening anti-poaching measures, improving habitat quality, addressing genetic concerns to prevent inbreeding, and enhancing scientific monitoring of population trends, mortality and reproductive success. Officials indicate that the programme will support Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal — the primary states where the greater one-horned rhinoceros currently occurs in the wild.
World Rhino Day, observed every year on September 22, draws global attention to the five remaining rhino species and the threats they face, particularly poaching driven by demand for horns used in traditional medicine. For India, the day has become an occasion to showcase one of its most notable conservation success stories. From a global population that had dwindled to fewer than 100 animals in the early 20th century, the greater one-horned rhinoceros has staged a remarkable recovery, with Assam serving as its primary sanctuary.
Conservationists and state forest officials have welcomed the new national project, describing it as timely recognition of decades of hard work on the ground. While poaching has been brought under control in key areas, challenges remain — including habitat pressure, flood-related risks in the Brahmaputra valley, and the need for continued community engagement. Project Rhino is expected to provide the institutional and financial framework to address these issues more systematically in the years ahead.
As Assam continues to host the overwhelming majority of the world’s greater one-horned rhinos, the launch of Project Rhino marks a new chapter in the country’s commitment to ensuring that this iconic species not only survives but thrives across its historic range.
