“Indian Rhino Vision 2020” – Last 2 Rhinos Translocated

What is the News?

Indian Rhino Vision 2020(IRV 2020) came to an end with the release of two rhinos. An adult male and a female rhino transported to Assam’s Manas National Park from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary about 185 km east.

Indian Rhino Vision Plan 2020:

• Indian Rhino Vision Plan 2020 was launched in 2005.
• Vision: The vision of IRV is to:
  • Increase the Rhino Population in Assam from about 2000 to 3000 by 2020.
  • Ensure that one-horned rhinos are spread over seven protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020.
• Seven Protected Areas: The seven protected areas are Kaziranga, Pobitora, Orang National Park, Manas National Park, Laokhowa wildlife sanctuary, Burachapori wildlife sanctuary, and Dibru Saikhowa wildlife sanctuary.
• Implementation: The Department of Environment and Forest, Assam in partnership with Bodo Autonomous Council implemented the plan.
• Supported by:  WWF India, WWF areas (Asian Rhino and Elephant action strategy) program, the international rhino Foundation(IRF), US fish and wildlife service, and others support the plan.

Achievements of Indian Rhino Vision Plan 2020:

• The Indian Rhino Vision Plan 2020 has likely achieved its target of attaining a population of 3,000 rhinos in Assam.
• However, the plan to spread the one-horned rhinos across four protected areas beyond Kaziranga National Park, Orang National Park, and Pobitora could not materialize.

Reasons for the launching of the Indian Rhino Vision plan:

• Assam had at least five rhino-bearing areas till the 1980s. Better conservation efforts helped maintain the population of the one-horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga, Orange and Pobitora National Parks.
• But the encroachment and poaching wiped out the one-horned rhinos from Manas and Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary.
• This led to the Manas National Park (known for the near-extinction of the pygmy hog) losing the World Heritage Site tag it received in 1985 along with Kaziranga from UNESCO.
• However, the translocated rhinos helped Manas National Park get back its World Heritage Site status in 2011.

Source: The Hindu