Saving the rhino, restoring grasslands, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in India has increased from approximately 1,500 in the 1980s to over 4,000 by September 2024.
• India launched the National Conservation Strategy for the rhinoceros in 2019 to guide conservation efforts and range expansion.
• A five-year Phase I (2026-2031) is proposed to expand the rhino range into suitable areas in Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh.
• India, along with Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nepal, adopted the New Delhi Declaration in 2019 for Asian rhinoceros conservation.

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Detailed Insights:

• The historical range of the greater one-horned rhinoceros extended across the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra river systems.
• Current wild populations are primarily concentrated in Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
• The conservation strategy emphasizes establishing secure populations across their historical range, not just safeguarding existing concentrations.
• The National Conservation Strategy framework includes strengthening existing populations, habitat restoration, genetic security, habitat connectivity, and climate resilience.
• Phase I (2026-2031), supported by the National CAMPA Authority, focuses on scientific monitoring, protection, habitat management, and capacity building.
• Rhino habitats are vital for other species like swamp deer, wild buffalo, elephants, and tigers, highlighting their ecological importance.
• The Rhino Conservation Action Plan includes mapping grasslands and wetlands, identifying invasive species, and developing protected area management protocols.
• A five-year project (2026-2031) on the Comprehensive Assessment of Indian Grasslands will be implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, and Forest Survey of India.
• This assessment aims to create a National Grassland Atlas and provide long-term management guidelines for grasslands.
• Climate-resilient management, including maintaining access to higher ground and securing ecological connectivity, is recognized as crucial for rhino protection.
• Modern technology like surveillance, genetic tools, and decision-support systems complement the efforts of field staff and local communities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros: A large mammal native to the Indian subcontinent, listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
• National Conservation Strategy for the rhinoceros: A policy framework launched by India in 2019 to guide rhino conservation efforts.
• New Delhi Declaration: An international agreement adopted in 2019 by Asian rhino range states to strengthen conservation cooperation.
• National CAMPA Authority: An Indian governmental body that manages funds for compensatory afforestation and wildlife conservation.
• Wildlife Institute of India: An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, involved in wildlife research and management.
• National Grassland Atlas: A planned comprehensive mapping and assessment of India's grasslands to aid in their restoration and management.