Sankalp Current Affairs Envs Lec 1

The State of the Rhino Report, 2023

− by US-based International Rhino Foundation (IRF)
− Apart from poaching and habitat loss, climate change-induced droughts have been
threatening the rhino population in Africa, pointed out a new report.
Rhinoceros
• Rhinoceros refers to any of the five extant species or numerous extinct species of odd-
toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae.
• Two of the extant species are native to Africa, and three are native to South and Southeast
Asia.
• Rhinoceroses are among the largest remaining megafauna, with all species weighing at
least one tonne in adulthood.
• They possess small brains, weighing 400–600 g (14–21 oz), which is small for mammals of
their size.
• 40-50 yes
• Rhinoceroses are characterized by one or two horns and a thick protective skin, measuring
1.5–5 cm (0.59–1.97 in), formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure.
The folds in the skin increase the surface area and help in regulating the body temperature
• Rhinoceroses have a herbivorous diet and generally consume leafy material.
• Their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant
matter when necessary.
• The two African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying on
their lips to pluck food.
Rhino horns
• Rhinoceroses are targeted by poachers for their horns, which are traded on the black
market at high prices.
• Rhino horns are composed of keratin, the same material as hair and fingernails and starts
to show after about six years.
• The demand for rhino horn is primarily driven by China and Vietnam, where it is purchased
by affluent consumers for use in traditional Chinese medicine, among other uses.
• There is no credible evidence to suggest any health benefits from consuming rhino horn.
• Decision to increase the population of greater one-horned Rhinos by 3% annually was
taken at the 3rd Asian Rhino Range Countries Meeting held at Chitwan (Nepal) from
February 3 to 5 2023.

Chitwan Decoration 2023 :

Five Rhino Range Countries countries - India, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal - signed
the Chitwan Declaration for Asian Rhinos Conservation (2023) and agreed on managing the
population of the greater one-horned Rhinos, Javan and Sumatran Rhinos with the intention
of achieving at least 3% annual growth rate in their population
The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019
• India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia have signed the New Delhi Declaration on
Asian Rhinos 2019 declaration for the conservation and protection of the species at the
Second Asian Rhino Range Countries Meet organised by the Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Ministry in collaboration with IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group, WWF

Asian Rhino Range Countries include Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nepal.

• Three species of Asian Rhinos namely Greater one-horned rhinoceros, Javan rhino, and
Sumatran rhino.
Census:
1. Population Census- Every 10 Years - 2021 Census 16th
2. Livestock Census- Every 5 Years
3. Agriculture Census - Every 5 Years
4. Forest Survey - Every 2 Years
5. Tiger Census - Every 4 Years
6. Elephant Census - Every 5 Years
7. Rhino Census - Every 3 Years
#prelims2024 #Target_Shots

− the population of one-horned rhinoceros at the Kaziranga National Park has registered an
increase of 200, taking the total to 2,613.

Habitat Distribution in India :

− Kaziranga National Park, Assam: 2,613 rhinos
− Jaldapara National Park, Bengal: 287 rhinos
− Orang National Park, Assam: 125 rhinos
− Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary: 107 rhinos
− Gorumara National Park, Bengal: 52 rhinos
− Manas National Park, Assam: 40 rhinos
− Dudhwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh: 38 rhinos

Kaziranga National Park

• It is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India.. It is
the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley
floodplain.
• It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
• It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq
km with a core area of 430 sq. km.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
• It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.

Flora:
Kaziranga is a vast expanse of tall elephant grass, marshland, and dense tropical moist
broadleaf forests
The 'big four' species— Rhino (Vulnerable), Elephant (Endangered), Royal Bengal tiger
(Endangered) and Asiatic water buffalo (Endangered)

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

• Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of onehorned rhinos in the world and
second highest concentration in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
• It is often called ‘Mini Kaziranga’ due to similar landscape and vegetation.
• It is on Southern bank on Brahmaputra.
• It is home to endangered one-horned rhinoceros and the other mammals such as Leopard,
Leopard cat, Fishing cat, Jungle cat, Feral Buffalo, Wild pigs, Chinese pangolins, etc.
• About 72% of Pobitora Sanctuary consists of wet savannah.
• Water hyacinth (an invasive aquatic plant) is a major problem to the area especially to
waterfowl, as it forms thick mats on the water surface.

Indian Rhinoceros:
• The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), also known as the greater one-horned
rhinoceros or great Indian rhinoceros, is native to the Indian subcontinent.
• It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with populations fragmented and restricted
to less than 20,000 km2.
• The species once ranged throughout the entire stretch of the Indo- Gangetic Plain but has
experienced a drastic reduction in range due to excessive hunting and agricultural
development.

Characteristics
Indian rhinos have a thick grey-brown skin with pinkish skin folds and a single horn on their
snout.

They have wart-like bumps on their upper legs and shoulders and very little body hair.

The horn is pure keratin and starts to show after about six years, reaching a length of about
25 cm in most adults.

Among terrestrial land mammals native to Asia, Indian rhinos are second in size only to the
Asian elephant.

They are the second-largest living rhinoceros, behind only the white rhinoceros, with bulls
averaging about 2,070–2,132 kg and cows averaging about 1,599–1,608 kg.

The largest individuals reportedly weighed up to 4,000 kg.

The rich presence of blood vessels underneath the tissues in folds gives them the pinkish
colour.

The folds in the skin increase the surface area and help in regulating the body temperature.

They are excellent swimmers and can run at speeds of up to 55 km/h (34 mph) for short
periods. They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, but relatively poor eyesight.

Distribution and habitat

They inhabit the alluvial grasslands of the Terai and the Brahmaputra basin.

by the 19th century, it only survived in the Terai grasslands of southern Nepal, northern Uttar
Pradesh, northern Bihar, northern West Bengal, and in the Brahmaputra Valley of
Assam.
Nearly 85% of the global Indian rhinoceros population is concentrated in Assam, where
Kaziranga National Park contains 70% of rhino population.

Ecology and behaviour

Indian rhinos are grazers. Their diet consists almost entirely of grasses but they also eat
leaves, twigs and branches of shrubs, etc

They start to breed when they are 5 to 6 years of age. Their gestation period is around 15.7
months, and birth interval ranges from 34 to 51 months.

Threats to Indian rhino population

Poaching: This is the most immediate threat. Rhinos are hunted and killed primarily for their
horns, which are highly prized in some cultures for their supposed medicinal properties and
as a symbol of status. Rhino horn is in high demand, especially in traditional Asian medicine
markets.

Habitat Loss: The rapid human population growth has resulted in significant habitat loss for
the rhinos. As land is cleared for agriculture, settlements, and infrastructure development,
the habitat available for rhinos shrinks.

Floods: In regions like Assam's Kaziranga National Park, a major habitat for the Indian rhino,
annual floods can pose a threat. While these floods are natural and have occurred for
millennia, the current human-induced changes in the landscape can exacerbate their impact,
leading to substantial rhino mortality.
Invasive species: While poaching remains a major threat to rhinos, alien invasive plant
species grabbing key grassland habitats in rhino-bearing areas in the past decade has
emerged as a bigger threat to the animal in India and Nepal.

Measures
The National Rhino Conservation Strategy
− This is an initiative by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
implemented in 2019.
− The strategy aims to establish DNA profiles of Indian rhinos and conserve the endangered
species of the greater one-horned rhinoceros

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Great Indian Rhinoceros:
1. Decreasing order of states with respect to the number of Great Indian Rhinoceros
inhabiting the states is Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
2. The Great Indian Rhinoceros is the largest of all Rhinoceros species.
3. The Great Indian Rhinoceros is found naturally in Five Asian Range Countries including
Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nepal.
4. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of one-horned rhinoceros and the
second largest number of the one-horned rhinoceros in India.
How many of the above statements are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) Only three
d) All four
Clouded leopard
- IUCN: Vulnerable

- State Animal of Meghalaya

- Bhutan, China, Nepal, Malaysia

- Arboral

- Balance on trees because of long tail

Species Classification: The clouded leopard is categorized into two species:

1. Mainland clouded leopard :central Nepal to peninsular Malaysia
2. Sunda clouded leopard native to Borneo and Sumatra.

Clouded Leopard prefers grassland, shrubs, subtropical and dense tropical forest up to a
height of 7,000 feet occurring from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia
into China.

• States:- Sikkim, northern West Bengal, Meghalaya subtropical forests, Tripura, Mizoram,
Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Clouded Leopard NP
Location: Within Sepahijala WLS

Tripura
Protected Areas: Sephahijala WLS, Trisha WLS, Gomti WLS, Clouded Leopard NP, Bison NP

Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH)

Scheme Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched during the 11th Plan period.

Purpose: To provide technical and financial support to States/UTs for wildlife habitat
conservation.
1. Support to Protected Areas: Includes National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries,
Conservation Reserves, and Community Reserves.

2. Protection of Wildlife Outside Protected Areas: Ensures wildlife conservation outside

designated areas.

3. Recovery Programs: Focuses on saving critically endangered species and habitats.

Altitude: The park ranges in elevation from approximately 1,700 to 4,800 meters above sea
level.

Flora: Home to a wide variety of vegetation including coniferous, alpine, and meadows.

Fauna: Notable for its diverse fauna including species like the Himalayan snow leopard, brown
bear, wild boar, and musk deer.

Birds: Houses various bird species such as the Himalayan Monal and other pheasants.

Snow leopard
- ul>1200 ft

- IUCN: Vulnerable

- Hemis is snow leopard capital of world

1. J&k & ladhaksh

2. UT
3. HP
4. AP
5. SIKKIM

Hemis National Park

Hosts highest number of snow leopards ,thereby Ladakh is known as Snow-leopards Capital
of world

• High Altitude National Park : located in Eastern Ladakh

• It lies within Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau

• Vegetation : pine forests, and alpine tundra vegetation.

• Rivers : Indus river banks and catchments of Rumbak ,Markah ,Sumdah

• It is biggest national park in India ( spread over 4400 sq. km)

• Cultural significance :Gotsang Gompa, Hemis Monastery are located inside national park
Species

1. Snow leopard
➢ IUCN : Vulnerable
➢ AKA Ghost of the
➢ Mountains

2. Bharal (Blue sheep)

➢ IUCN : Least concerned
➢ found in the high Himalayas
➢ major food of the snow Leopard
3. Himalayan Ibex
➢ IUCN : least concerned
➢ Zoological Survey of India in 2020 proved that Himalayan Ibex is a distinct species than
siberian ibe

Western Tragopan
- State bid of Himachal pradesh
- Vulnurable
- Western Himalaya
- Aka king of birds
Threats: Habitat loss, hunting pressure and anthropogenic disturbances which includes
livestock grazing, minor forest produce collection like medicinal herbs etc

IUCN = LC