GUWAHATI: The Assam government has sought opinion from the people on trimming rhino horns to save them from poachers.

This year, poachers have killed 11 rhinos in the state and chopped off their horns. Two rhinos have been killed at Kaziranga National Park since Wednesday.

"We are seeking the opinion of people. I want to make it clear we are not talking of dehorning but trimming of horns, similar to trimming of hair,'' said forest minister Rockybul Hussain.

"The trimmed horns will grow back to their original size in four to five months again. There will be no damage to internal organs of the animals nor will it lower their attraction, contrary to the belief of people."

The office of principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) will receive feedback on the issue till March 31.

Hussain said a committee consisting of forest officials, representatives of WWF and veterinarians will hold a hearing and discuss the feasibility of rhino horn trimming to the state government. "The final decision will be taken by the government," he said.

He said the proposed trimming can't be done for the huge rhino population at Kaziranga National Park but elsewhere where the population is very low. "Trimming can also be done on those rhinos that are selected for translocation. It will be an impossible task to trim the horns of over 2000 rhinos in Kaziranga," said Hussain.

He added in Africa, horns of rhinos have been trimmed for the same reason. "As the number of rhinos whose horns have been trimmed is very low, some people say the whole concept is not successful."

In January, the Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 floated the idea of trimming rhino horns before translocating them to Laokhowa-Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagaon district this year.

The IRV 2020 is a joint programme of the state forest department, WWF-India, International Rhino Foundation and various other partner NGOs.

The programme envisages increase on Assam's rhino population to 3,000 by 2020 by wild-to-wild translocation from Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to Manas and Dibru Saikhowa national parks, as well as Laokhowa-Burachopari Wildlife Sanctuary.