Indian Rhino Vision 2020 was launched in 2005. The IRV2020 came to a close in April 2021. The main aim of the IRV2020 was to achieve a population of 3000 wild rhinos in Assam distributed over 7 of its protected areas (PAs) by the year 2020.
This topic is very important for Prelims as well as Essay, GS Paper 2 and GS Paper 3 paper of the mains IAS Exam.
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Why is Indian Rhino Vision 2020 in the news?
On April 13, 2021, the eighth round of rhino translocation under Rhino Vision 2020 came to a close after translocating two rhinos from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to Manas National Park in Assam. With this, the IRV2020 is believed to have reached its target of achieving a population of 3,000 rhinos in Assam. However, the plan to spread the population of the rhinos across four protected areas beyond Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, Orang and Kaziranga national parks could not be accomplished.
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Important National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in News:
Go through the List of National Parks in India on the linked page. |
Facts about the Indian Rhino
Indian Rhino plays an important role in sustaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. It is the only large mammal species in Asia to be down-listed from endangered to vulnerable in the IUCN Red list in 2008. Other facts related to the species are given below:
Facts About the Indian Rhino
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Scientific name |
Rhinoceros unicornis |
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Also known as |
Greater One-horned Rhino |
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Geographical distribution |
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Found in the Indian States of |
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Habitat |
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Diet and life span |
Indian Rhino is a herbivore and has an average life span of 40 years in the wild. |
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Status in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 |
Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 |
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Status of the Indian Rhino in the IUCN Red list |
Vulnerable |
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Status in CITES |
Appendix I of CITES |
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Rhino species in Asia |
There are 3 species of rhino in Asia, i.e.
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Read about Indian Rhinoceros in detail in the linked article.
Objectives of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020
- To achieve a population of 3000 wild rhinos in Assam
- Translocating rhinos from two source populations i.e. Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary into some target Protected Areas (PAs) i.e. Manas National Park, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and possibly Orang National Park.
Implementing Agencies of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020
The Indian Rhino Vision 2020 was implemented by the Department of Environment and Forests of the government of Assam. Other key players included:
- The Bodo Autonomous Council
- WWF-India
- WWF AREAS (Asian Rhino and Elephants Action Strategy) Programme
- The International Rhino Foundation
- Save the Rhino Campaign of zoological institutions worldwide
- Local NGOs
Importance and Benefits of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020
The Indian Rhino Vision 2020 has played a significant role so far and will continue to benefit the species in the future. Some of the benefits of IRV2020 are:
Some
- The IRV2020 helped Manas National Park get back its World Heritage Site status in 2011.
- The programme will contribute to the mixing of genes from rhinos from Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, which in turn will set up a healthy, breeding population of rhinos for the future of the species.
- Reduces risk of disease and in-breeding
Also, read about World Rhino Day in the linked article.
Important Initiatives to Protect Rhinos and Other Endangered Species in India and Worldwide
- The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019
- National Conservation Strategy for Rhinos (2019)
- Recovery Programme for Critically Endangered Species (Part of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH))
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National Conservation Strategy for Rhinos (2019)
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