From 75 in 1905 to 3,600 in 2020, India's rhino population has increased by 35 times in 115 years.
In what can be said as a major success in Assam's one-horn Rhino conservation, only one Rhino was poached in 2021 - the lowest in 21 years.
The Anti-Poaching Task Force (APTF) of Kaziranga National Park has tasted success. It has managed to bring down Rhino poaching cases in the national park.
Assam Special DGP GP Singh tweeted, "Year 2021 saw only one incident of rhino poaching in April 2021. The containment of poaching of One-horn rhino has been a major achievement of Anti-Poaching Task Force constituted by @mygovassamin June 2021.Compliments to @assampolice and @kaziranga_personnel. @CMOfficeAssam".
During 2013-14, 54 cases of Rhino poaching were reported from Kaziranga.
The APTF was formed in 2021 to check rhino poaching in Kaziranga and in the first year only one rhino poaching was reported from the national park.
In April last year, the carcass of an adult male rhino with its horn missing was found near a water body inside Kaziranga.
"Kaziranga National Park's protective cover has been uplifted to revolutionary steps under our government - the lowest case of only one poaching in 2021 in the park is a testimony towards our efforts to save the rhinos," said Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya.
In 2018, seven incidents were reported against rhino poaching in Assam. In 2019, this went down to only three cases, and just two in 2020.
From 75 in 1905 to 3,600 in 2020, India's rhino population has increased by 35 times in 115 years.