Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio has praised the Assam government’s effort to curb cases of rhino poaching in the state, reducing it to zero in 2022 for the first time since 1977 Kaziranga National Park.
Assam is known for its one-horned Rhino and the state attracts a large number of tourists who come to visit such sites.
The national park is home to 2,200 of these rhinos, which is about two-thirds of the world's population. In 2022, the government met its goal, and for the first time since 1977, no rhinos were poached in the area.
Taking to his Instagram handle, the actor wrote, “In 2021, the government of the Indian state of Assam set out to end the poaching of the Endangered Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park following the killing of around 190 animals for their horns between 2000 and 2021. In 2022, they met their goal and no rhinos were poached in the area for the first time since 1977.”
He continued, “Kaziranga National Park is home to 2,200 Greater One-horned Rhinos, which is about two-thirds of the world's population. This triumph in India also comes with more good news, as @wwf also reports that the world population of the rare rhino soared to around 3,700 from about 200 at the turn of the 20th century."
As per the latest census data put out by the national park authority, the rhino population is on an increasing trend.
In 2021, the number of Rhinos lost to poaching was the lowest in 21 yrs at just 1. In 2013 and 2014, as many as 27 Rhinos were killed by poachers.
