Guwahati: Hollywood actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio has lauded the efforts of Assam government to curb the poaching of the Endangered Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park.
Quoting a Reuters report, the Hollywood star said that no rhinos were poached in Kaziranga National Park last year for the first time since 1977.
Taking to Instagram, DiCaprio said, “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.”
The superstar further added, “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. Reuters has more on this story at the link in bio.”
According to the Reuters report, 27 rhinos were killed in Assam each year in 2013 and 2014, as poachers sought to sell their horns for thousands of dollars in East Asia.
Also Read | Landmark feat: Assam records zero rhino poaching cases in 2022
