One-Horned Rhinoceros (Indian Rhino)
Scientific Name: Rhinoceros unicornis
Common Name: Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros / Indian Rhinoceros
Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
Habitat & Distribution:
- Historically found in the Indo-Nepal Terai and Brahmaputra floodplains.
- Today, its distribution in India is limited to Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Assam alone shelters more than 2,640 rhinos in the following protected areas:
- Kaziranga National Park (home to ~2,400 rhinos)
- Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
- Manas National Park
- Orang National Park
Global Rhino Context:
Out of the five rhino species worldwide:
- Black Rhino (Africa) – Critically Endangered
- White Rhino (Africa) – Near Threatened
- Javan Rhino (Asia) – Critically Endangered
- Sumatran Rhino (Asia) – Critically Endangered (now extinct in Malaysia)
- Greater One-Horned Rhino (Asia) – Only found in India and Nepal
Major Threats:
- Poaching for its horn, driven by illegal wildlife trade
- Loss of habitat due to encroachment and land-use change
- High population density within limited protected areas, leading to pressure on resources
- Low genetic diversity, making the species vulnerable to disease and population decline