It is worth mentioning here that Manas National Park-cum-Tiger project was once a home of the great Indian one hrned rhinoceros with more than 100 population. But the entire population was systematically and completely annihilated from its natural habitat of Manas during the ethnic unrest from 1988 till 2003. Thus the entire rhino population of Manas was rendered locally extinct.

Though more than hundred rhinos were killed during the troubled period, authorities could find only 52 carcasses during 1990 to 2001. The last incident was recorded on March 10, 2001 and it was sub-sequently assumed that there was no rhino inside the park. It is well known that access to the park even for the security staff during the turbulent period was not at all smooth and this is the reason why the deaths of a number of this valuable animal could not be detected.

Out of the 52 deaths detected as many as 43 are attributed to poaching while four died due to old age, three to tiger predation and one to fighting. According to the recorded information the highest deaths occurred in 1993 with 23 followed by 13 in 1992, five in 1991, four each in 1990 and 1994 and one each in 1995, 1996 and 2001. There is no record of presence of any rhino in the park from 2001 nor any one has claimed to see it.

After the formation of BTC, emphasis was laid on the reconstruction and restoration of this national park. As the rhino constituted one of the main and charismatic species of Manas, its reintroduction was considered as vital and the process began in 2006. The Government of Assam in collaboration with Wildlife Trust of Indian (WTI) have rehabilitated four female rhinos rescued from distress in different parts of the State. These are now being kept in boma (enclosure) within the park.

But the most ambitious project that was taken for implementation for re-introduction rhino is the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020). IRV 2020 envisages to increase the total rhino population in Assam to 3000 by the year 2020. Under this vision, six numbers of protected areas of Assam have been identified for re-introduction of rhinos where it thrived earlier. Manas is one of the first such protected areas where Rhinos were to be translocated first from wild to wild under IRV 2020. Kaziranga National Park and Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary were supposed to serve as the source population for this purpose. Apart from Government of Assam and the Bodoland Territorial Council IRV is supported by several international agencies like International Rhino Foundation (IRF), US Fish and Wildlife Services and WWF and in Assam it is executed by the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Wildlife Development Trust.

The first phase of translocation was scheduled to be executed in early 2007. But due to some unavoidable circumstances it had to be rescheduled for several times and finally it was executed on April 12, 2008 last. The first phase of translocation involving training-cum-demonstration exercise took place on April 11, 2008 last. Two male rhinos were tranquilised at Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary and transported overnight reaching Manas on April 12, 2008 and were released the same day early in the morning successfully.

It was expected that with the onset of the dry season the second phase of the rhino translocation would commence in November 2008 last. But like the first occasion it also got delayed. The main reason behind both the occasions is the same – want of immobilision, the drugs for tranquilising the wild animal. It is evident that the executing agencies of such an ambitious and costly project hardly learned anything from the first occasion which had to be post-poned due to the shortage of this essential drug. As several government and influential agencies are involved in this exercise it was reasonable on their part to arrange for this essential medicine in advance so that lakhs of rupees received and spent in infrastructure and other preparations for this purpose is not wasted.

With two in the wild and four inside the boma Manas family has six rhinos till now. Under the IRV 2020, 20 odd rhinos are to be expected to be translocated out of which only two have been brought. If it is done successfully, the past glory of this famous park will be restored within a few years. It is expected that security will not be a major problem this time as most of the poachers have surrendered and have dedicated themselves to the protection of the park. Besides there has been widespread public opinion in the villages surrounding the park for protection and preservation of the woods and wild.

Now it is the turn of the Government of Assam and the BTC authority how aptly they can manage the obstacles on the way of re-introduction of the national animal to their former habitats. Visitors from outside the State are eagerly waiting for this auspicious day.