Lok Sabha Question No. 271 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: Rhino Hunting in Kaziranga National Park
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY, CHINTAMANI MALVIYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *271

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2017

## Rhino Hunting in Kaziranga National Park

## *271.  DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY: PROF. CHINTAMANI MALVIYA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  rhinoceros  in  the  country  including  in  Kaziranga  National  Park  at  present, National Park and State-wise;
- (b) whether cases of poaching/illegal hunting of rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park and sale of the horns clandestinely in the international market have been reported;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to put a stop on the illegal hunting of rhinoceros; and
- (d) whether any arrest has been made in this regard and if so, the details thereof and the action taken against the guilty persons?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a), (b), (c) & (d) :A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a),  (b),  (c)  &  (d)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *271  ON  RHINO  HUNTING  IN  KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK DUE FOR REPLY ON 21.03.2017

- (a) The number of rhinoceros in the country, including in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve as per the latest census done by the States is 2909.  National Parks/Protected Areas wise and Statewise details are at Annexure-I .
- (b) to (d) There  have  been  instances  of  poaching  /  illegal  hunting  of  rhinoceros  in  Kaziranga National Park besides report of sale of their horns clandestinely in the international market. Number  of  rhinoceros  poached  in  Kaziranga  National  Park  during  last  three  years  and current year is as below:

|   S. No. | Year             |   No. of rhinoceros poached |
|----------|------------------|-----------------------------|
|        1 | 2014             |                          27 |
|        2 | 2015             |                          17 |
|        3 | 2016             |                          18 |
|        4 | 2017 (Till date) |                           1 |

Under  the  ongoing  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Project  Tiger,  central  assistance  is provided  to  the  State  of  Assam  for  Kaziranga,  which, inter  alia ,  includes  support  for protection infrastructure, 24X7 e-surveillance, deployment of local workforce, support for purchase of sophisticated weapons, constitution of Special Tiger Protection Force for use in Kaziranga National Park etc.  Intelligence inputs are provided to the State from Wildlife Crime  Control  Bureau,  Government  of  India  besides  co-ordination  with  other  security agencies.    In  addition,  the  State  has  also  taken  a  number  of  steps  to  strengthen  rhino protection, which, inter alia, include: recruitment / deployment of 423 number of Assam Forest Protection Force personnel equipped with arms, 175 Armed Home Guards besides the regular forest staff, enhancing punishment for offenders through an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Assam amendment, 2009), empowering the forest staff to use fire arms while providing immunity from prosecution without prior sanction, sharing of  intelligence  inputs  through  State  /  District  level  co-ordination  committees.    For developing co-operation among fringe villagers around Kaziranga National Park and assist in  curbing  rhino  poaching,  38  numbers  of  Eco-development  Committees  have  been registered  and  through  which  development  work  in  the  villages  are  being  taken  up.    A Special Task Force (STF) headed by an Additional Director General of Police has been constituted  by  the  Government  of  Assam  to  curb  rhino  poaching  in  Kaziranga  National Park.  Number of anti-poaching camps has been increased in Kaziranga National Park to ensure effective surveillance.

A number of offenders have been arrested.  Details of offenders arrested in last three years and current year is as below:

| Year             |   Offenders arrested |
|------------------|----------------------|
| 2014             |                   47 |
| 2015             |                   88 |
| 2016             |                   59 |
| 2017 (Till date) |                   10 |

The  arrested  offenders  have  been  produced  in  the  Court  of  Law  for  prosecution.    The Government  of  Assam  has  constituted  Fast  Track  Court  for  speedy  disposal  of  wildlife cases including rhinoceros.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *271  ON  RHINO  HUNTING  IN  KAZIRANGA  NATIONAL  PARK  DUE FOR REPLY ON 21.03.2017

Number of rhinoceros in the country, including in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve as per the latest census done by the States (National Parks/Protected Areas wise and State-wise)

| S. No.   | Name of State   | Name of Protected Area       | No. of Rhinoceros (Protected Area wise)   |   No. of Rhinoceros (State-wise) |
|----------|-----------------|------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 1.       | Assam           | Kaziranga Tiger Reserve      | 2401                                      |                             2622 |
| 1.       | Assam           | Orang Tiger Reserve          | 100                                       |                             2622 |
| 1.       | Assam           | Manas Tiger Reserve          | 28                                        |                             2622 |
| 1.       | Assam           | Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary  | 93                                        |                             2622 |
| 2.       | Uttar Pradesh   | Dudhwa Tiger Reserve         | 32                                        |                               32 |
| 3.       | West Bengal     | Jaldapara National Park      | 204                                       |                              255 |
| 3.       | West Bengal     | Gorumara National Park       | 49                                        |                              255 |
| 3.       | West Bengal     | Darjeeling Wildlife Division | 2                                         |                              255 |
|          | Total           |                              |                                           |                             2909 |

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