Guwahati, February 1 (Udaipur Kiran): Assam has added another major milestone to its wildlife conservation record, with the state reporting zero cases of one-horned rhinoceros poaching over the past year. Earlier, a similar achievement was recorded in 2022, when no rhino poaching incidents were reported throughout the year.
This success is being credited to strict enforcement of laws, coordinated action between the Assam Police and trained forest personnel, and growing public awareness. The one-horned rhinoceros has historically been targeted for its horn, which is illegally traded due to false beliefs about its medicinal and aphrodisiac value. At present, around 2,700 rhinos inhabit Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently stated that no rhino poaching incident has been reported in Kaziranga for over 730 days since February 2024. He referred to ‘Operation Falcon’, a joint anti-poaching initiative of the Assam Police and the state forest department. Under this operation, at least 42 poachers have been arrested and six major poaching networks dismantled. The drive was launched in January 2024 following the killing of two adult rhinos inside Kaziranga.
Public participation has also played a key role, with people across communities coming together to protect rhinos. To strengthen this message, the Assam government destroyed nearly 2,500 rhino horns in 2024 to challenge the widespread belief that rhino horns possess medicinal or sexual enhancement properties. The government clarified that rhino horns are made of keratin and have no such benefits.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Assam’s efforts to curb rhino poaching in Kaziranga and other forest areas. On January 18, 2026, he laid the foundation stone for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project aimed at ensuring wildlife safety along National Highway-715, earlier known as NH-37.
The environment-friendly project, with an estimated cost exceeding Rs 6,950 crore, includes a 34.45-kilometre-long elevated wildlife corridor, development of bypasses at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat, and widening of the 86-kilometre stretch from Kaliabor to Numaligarh into four lanes. Once completed, the corridor will allow uninterrupted movement of wildlife beneath it.
The project is expected to significantly reduce wildlife accidents, especially during night hours, while also improving road connectivity in eastern Assam. Addressing a public gathering, the Prime Minister described Kaziranga as the soul of Assam and a living symbol of India’s biodiversity, stressing that its protection is a responsibility towards future generations.
Kaziranga Director Sonali Ghosh said the project has been designed to balance conservation needs with future development. She noted that Kaziranga is not just a protected area but a vital habitat for rhinos, tigers, elephants, wild buffaloes, swamp deer, and several other rare species.
During the monsoon season, when large parts of the park are submerged, animals migrate towards the higher grounds of the Karbi Anglong hills. While crossing National Highway-715, many animals have historically fallen prey to speeding vehicles. According to Ghosh, along with wildlife protection, a safer and improved highway has long been a critical requirement for the region.
(The author is a senior journalist from Northeast India.)
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at UDAIPUR Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.