1-horned rhinos out of endangered list

The Asian Age , Monday, October 27, 2008
Correspondent : BY SANJEEB BARUAH
Oct. 26: The removal of the one-horned rhinoceros by an international NGO from its endangered species list will not affect the animals in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, their main home, park officials said, but conservationists warned of an impending doom.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) removed the one-horned rhinoceros from its Red List of endangered species at a meeting on October 6 in Barcelona, Spain, saying that the animal has shown signs of recovery in range countries following strict security measures.

The IUCN’s assessment is critical since it determines allocation of financial as well as other aid for protection of a particular species in a specific geographical area.

Conservationists said that though India’s rhino population has increased in recent years, poaching is still a major concern. The latest decision would only add to their insecurity.

Shrinking of habitats is already pushing these animals into the hands of poachers, they said, while their rising numbers in some areas also led to food scarcity.

Kaziranga park director S.N. Buragohain said that the demotion would not make any difference. "They may have taken a decision looking at a global perspective, but all the rhino areas will not have an identical impact by this assessment, since different areas have different set of problems."

"Kaziranga rhinos are safe, in fact their numbers have increased to around 2,000 from the 1,800 counted earlier," he added.

—IANS

 
SOURCE : Monday, 27 October 2008
 


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