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Rohit Sharma, the star Indian batsman is launching Rohit4Rhinos campaign, in partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet, to help build awareness for the need to conserve the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhino. In a campaign launching on Animal Planet to commemorate World Rhino Day on September 22, Rohit pledges to do his bit to save the “vulnerable” species from extinction. A special page, www.rohit4rhinos.org is also being created to strengthen the campaign, through which viewers can pledge their support to the cause.
About Rhinos in India
India is famous for its rich biodiversity. One of the most notable species found in India is the greater one-horned rhinoceros. These gentle giants are restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal Terai and northern West Bengal and Assam. However, the rhino, which was once seen as a strong and indomitable creature, is today listed as a ‘vulnerable’ species. Rhino horns are wrongly believed to have medicinal and aphrodisiacal properties due to which there’s a huge demand for this contraband material in black markets around the world.
Hunting and poaching of rhinos led to the rhino population of India dwindling to less than 200 in the 1990s! Furthermore, human encroachment on grasslands where the rhinos reside has further led to depletion in their numbers. However, after many years of continuous and relentless efforts, today we have over 3,500 rhinos in India and Nepal, over 80% of which reside in India. But, this is far from ideal and a lot more needs to be done in order to restore rhino numbers in the wild.
