#57: Rhino, Elephant and Great Indian Bustard

Threat & Conservation efforts

Rhino, Elephant, and Great Indian Bustard are important for biodiversity.🦏🐘🐦
What are the threats and conservation efforts for these national treasure?⚠️

1. Rhino🦏 (IUCN: Vulnerable; WPA '72: Sc. I)

➡️ 4014 in India-Nepal habitats
➡️ 2613 in Kazrianga alone

Year No. in Kaziranga
1905 12
2022 2613

Threats⚠️

- Illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar
- Invasive plan species grabbing key grassland habitats

Conservation efforts😄

- Local sentiments
- Better fighting gears to forest guards
- Anti-poaching mechanism in India-Nepal
- More manpower, capacity building & frontline staff

As a result, while 2013/14 saw 54 poaching cases, 2021/22 saw just 2!

2. Elephant🐘 (IUCN: Endangered; WPA '72: Sc. I)

➡️ 60% Asian Elephants in India, total ~30k
➡️44% of total in KA, KL, AP, TN

Threats⚠️

- Poaching
- Change of land use (forest -> agriculture)
- Fragmentation of elephant habitats
- Linear construction of rail, road and power infrastructure
- Human conflicts (500 humans + 100 elephants lives lost every year)

Conservation efforts😄

- Project Elephant 1992
- 32 Elephant Reserves in India (Agasthyamalai latest)
- Elephant corridors, linear narrow habitat linkages✔️

3. Great Indian Bustard🐦 (IUCN: Critically Endangered; WPA '72: Sc. I)

➡️ 150 total, 128 in RJ
➡️ Others in GJ, MH, KA, AP
➡️ 1969 (1260 GIB), 75% decline in 30 years

Threats⚠️

- Slow breeders
- Habitat loss (grasslands)
- Pesticides contamination
- Overhead transmission lines
- Make nest on ground, prone to damage
- Increasing population of dogs and pigs puts pressure on GIBs

Conservation efforts😄

- Task force u/ MOEFCC
- Mitigate impacts of power transmission lines
- Conservation breeding i.e. chicks preserved at Jaisalmer facility
- 'Habitat Improvement & Conservation breeding of GIB- an integrated approach' w/ aim: build captive population of GIB & release chicks in wild

Way Forward

- Remove all overhead powerlines in RJ from priority areas
- Community centric conservation initiatives

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