Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said India is home to the largest number of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the world with population in the range of 3000 animals in Assam, West Bengal and UP.
In his message on the occasion of World Rhino Day, Mr Javadekar said Environment Ministry has launched a National Conservation Strategy for Indian One-Horned Rhino. He added that the conservation initiatives for rhino has also enriched the grassland management which help in reducing the negative impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration.
The National Rhino Conservation Strategy for India was launched last year to conserve the greater one-horned rhinoceros. This is a first of its kind for the species in India which aims to work for the conservation of the species under five objectives. The objectives include strengthening protection, expanding the distribution range, research and monitoring, and adequate and sustained funding.
One horned rhino was close to extinction with a population of less than 200 in the beginning of the 20th century. It is the only large mammal species in Asia to be down-listed from endangered to vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN Red list in 2008
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