GUWAHATI, Sept 25 – In view of the disturbing spurt in rhino poaching in Assam, especially in the Kaziranga National Park, the WWF-India has made a strong pitch for adoption of a National Rhino Conservation Plan for India.
The WWF-India has urged the Union Minister of Environment and Forest, Jayanti Natarajan, to take the lead in this regard and bring together the four rhino-bearing States of India viz., Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It also expressed its willingness to facilitate the process.
“The adoption of such a plan will increase coordination among the four rhino- bearing States of India and enable sharing of best practices and information on poaching syndicates, enabling better protection of India’s rhinos”, Dr Dipankar Ghose, director, Species and Landscapes, WWF-India, said.
In a statement, WWF-India said that it was increasing awareness about rhinos among the wider public through a range of activities in the different rhino-bearing States and in Delhi.
“In Assam, awareness programmes and plays are being organised for schools and local communities around the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and the Manas National Park in association with our partners. In Dudhwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh, an awareness event involving the UP Forest Department, the District Magistrate of Kheri and other administrative officers, SSB officers, police officers, school teachers and students, EDC representatives, local dignitaries and media is being organised,” it said.
After decades of conservation success which resulted in the population of rhinos in Assam rising to more than 2,500 currently, the spurt in poaching over the last couple of years has indicated that poaching syndicates are strengthening.
