Rhinoceros, commonly known as rhinos, are a highly endangered species whose horns have been a subject of study for many years. It has been noted that the horns of rhinos may have shrunk over centuries due to the selective pressure of hunting. Analysis of artwork and photographs spanning over five centuries has offered significant insights into this issue. These images are maintained by the Rhino Research Center (RRC) based in the Netherlands.
The Findings from the Study
The investigation revealed that the five surviving rhino species, including the white and black rhinos found in Africa, along with the Greater one-horned, Javan, and Sumatran rhino species from Asia, continue to be threatened by habitat loss and hunting. The Sumatran rhino, currently critically endangered, demonstrated the highest rate of decline in horn length. In contrast, the white rhino of Africa showed the least shrinkage in horn size. Similar patterns have been observed in other animals like elephants and wild sheep, where tusk/horn sizes have decreased due to trophy hunting.
In earlier times, particularly during the European imperialism era (16th to 20th centuries), rhinos were widely depicted as hunting trophies. But since the mid-20th century, there has been a shift towards portraying them in a conservation context signifying a decrease in their consumptive use.
Key Facts about Rhinoceros
There are five species of rhinos—the white and black rhinos in Africa, and the Greater one-horned (or Indian rhino), Javan, and Sumatran rhino in Asia. The black rhino is critically endangered, while the status of the white rhino is near threatened. The Indian Rhinoceros, also known as the Great One-Horned Rhino, is identified by its single black horn and grey-brown hide with skin folds. It primarily grazes on grass, leaves, fruit, and aquatic plants.
Rhino’s Habitat and Protection Status
These species are mostly found in small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai, northern West Bengal, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh. Assam is home to an estimated 2,640 rhinos in four protected areas, with around 2,400 of them residing in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR). The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is under Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Threats to Rhinoceros Survival
Rhinos face numerous challenges, including habitat loss, hunting for horns, high population density, and decreasing genetic diversity. Measures need to be taken to mitigate these issues and improve their survival prospects.
Conservation Efforts in India
Countries like India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia, and Malaysia have come together to sign the New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019, to conserve and protect rhino species. In 2019, India’s Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) initiated a project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos in the country. To further support conservation, the National Rhino Conservation Strategy was launched in 2019 and was targeted at conserving the Greater one-horned rhinoceros. A specific initiative known as the Indian Rhino Vision 2020, launched in 2005, aimed to increase the population of Greater One-Horned Rhinos in Assam to at least 3,000 by 2020.