Leonardo DiCaprio Praises Assam Govt. For Putting An End To Poaching Of One-Horned Rhinoceros

GUWAHATI: Leonardo DiCaprio, an Oscar-winning actor, and outspoken environmentalist, has applauded the Assam government for its efforts, which in 2022 led to zero one-horned rhino poaching in the state. On January 1, the state government declared that there will be no poaching of endangered animals in the state for the first time since 1977. The world's leading environmentalists, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praised this.

DiCaprio wrote on Instagram on Thursday: "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."

"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 (World Wildlife Fund) 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," he added.

According to Gyanendra Pratap Singh, director general of the Assam police, there were 27 cases of poaching reported in the state each year between 2013 and 2014. It decreased to 17 in 2015, and 18 in 2016. In 2017, there were 6 cases, while in 2018, there were 7. With three cases in 2019, two in 2020, and one in 2021, the number of cases has steadily decreased starting in 2019.

The Assam government also established a specialised Anti-Poaching Task Force in July 2021 to combat poaching. With only one case reported, poaching reached its lowest level in 21 years in that year.

According to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, some groups have misconceptions that encourage the slaughter of rhinos. In September of that year, he set 2,500 rhino horns on fire to end that. For the past forty years, the government has rescued and conserved the horns.

Also read: Primary Accused Detained In Assam In Connection With Professor Couple Murder Case Of Bihar

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