NEW DELHI (AFP) – India’s one-horned Asian rhino population has almost tripled in the past four decades thanks to conservation and anti-poaching efforts, according to government figures.
Data released on Sunday – World Rhino Day – said the number of the animals, known for their single horn and thick, armour-like skin, had surged from 1,500 four decades ago to more than 4,000 now.
There were just 600 left in India in the 1960s.
“This conservation success story is the result of relentless efforts by the forest department and local communities,” a government statement said.
An adult Indian rhino, the largest of the three Asian species, can weigh up to 2,800 kilogrammes and live for about 50 years.
They are found in grasslands, swamps and riverine forests in India’s east and neighbouring Nepal.
