Project Rhino

Project Rhino

Project Rhino is India’s conservation initiative focused on protecting the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and the habitats on which the species depends.

India is home to the world’s largest population of greater one-horned rhinoceroses, with the majority found in Assam, particularly in and around Kaziranga National Park. Smaller populations occur in other parts of the country, including West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Key Conservation Priorities

Rhino conservation efforts in India focus on:

  • Protecting rhino habitat and populations
  • Combating poaching and illegal wildlife trade
  • Monitoring rhino populations
  • Managing grasslands and wetland habitats
  • Maintaining habitat connectivity
  • Reducing human–wildlife conflict
  • Supporting local communities around rhino habitats
  • Expanding suitable habitat and populations where appropriate

Rhino Conservation in India

India’s rhino conservation is strongly associated with Kaziranga National Park, which supports the country’s largest concentration of the species. Other important populations are found in Orang National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park in Assam, as well as protected areas in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

The Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) was an important conservation programme launched in Assam to increase the state’s rhino population and establish additional viable populations in suitable protected areas. The programme contributed to rhino translocations and broader efforts to expand the species’ distribution.

Why Rhino Conservation Matters

The greater one-horned rhinoceros is a major herbivore of India’s floodplain grasslands and wetlands. Protecting rhinos also helps conserve the wider ecosystems and numerous other species that share these habitats.

India’s rhino conservation story demonstrates how strong protection, habitat management, population monitoring and coordinated conservation efforts can help recover a threatened species.

Explore India’s rhino landscapes and discover the conservation efforts protecting the greater one-horned rhinoceros.

Kaziranga National Park : Topics Cluster