Bengal records over 50% rise in rhino population in 10 years: Officials

In India, one-horned rhinos are found in the wild in three states - Assam, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. While Assam has the largest population of rhinos, Bengal comes second

Kolkata: The rhino population in West Bengal stands at 392, according to a census held earlier this month, marking a 50% rise from the 253 recorded in the state in 2015, officials said.

A rhino census was held in West Bengal’s Jaldapara and Gorumara National Parks in the first week of March. (Representational image)

“The rhino census in Jaldapara and Gorumara National Parks held in the first week of March showed impressive results for the Great One Horned Rhinoceros in West Bengal and now the number stands at 392,” said a senior official of the state forest department.

In India, one-horned rhinos are found in the wild in three states - Assam, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. While Assam has the largest population of rhinos with nearly 2,900 rhinos, West Bengal comes second. Kaziranga National Park in Assam has over 2,600 rhinos. Uttar Pradesh has around 40 rhinos.

“Jaldapara National Park has around 331 rhinos, which is second only to Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Gorumara National Park has a population of around 61,” said the official.

Officials said that conservation efforts, habitat management and bringing down cases of rhino poaching to zero over the past few years have led to the rise in rhino population.

“One of the major challenges was that the rhino population in West Bengal is concentrated entirely in north Bengal, which has three international border areas. This makes the area vulnerable to poaching,” said an official.

The state had recorded six cases of rhino poaching in 2014-15, the highest in recent years. However, there has not been any poaching incident in the state since 2021.

During the mid-70s and mid-80s the rhino population in the state had dropped to less than 30. There were 90 rhinos in the state in the late 60s.

Officials said there are plans to undertake a genetic study of the rhino population to check whether there had been any effect of inbreeding.

“The Wildlife Institute of India will be doing this study. We will be supporting them,” said Debal Roy, chief wildlife warden of West Bengal.