Indian rhinoceros  (Rhinoceros unicornis)

The Indian rhinoceros was already considered a ‘vanishing race' by the beginning of the 20th century, primarily due to the conversion of alluvial plain grassland to cultivated fields (6). Hunting, for sport and as pest control, was also a factor in the decimation of the population. Despite protection measures, poaching remains a serious threat today due to the demand for rhino horn in Oriental medicine; in 1994 for example, a kilogram of rhino horn was worth approximately US$60,000 (8).

The Indian rhinoceros has been brought back from the brink of extinction by a sustained conservation effort and numbers have increased from a few hundred individuals in the 1950s to over 2,000 today (6). The population is concentrated in protected reserves, and both Indian and Nepalese Wildlife Authorities have adopted schemes that involve protecting the species with armed troops; one population in Nepal is protected by 700-armed guards (5). Managed breeding is a successful tool in India and translocations have also been used to move animals from areas where they have become too numerous to other protected reserves (9). Priorities of the Asian Rhino Action Plan include the increase and maintenance of protection zones and sanctuaries and the halting of illegal trade (10). Of the three Asian rhinos, the survival of the Indian species may be the most promising, especially if local people can become directly involved.