World Rhino Day: The One-Horned Pride of Assam
Heramba Nath
Every year on the twenty-second of September, the world joins together to reflect upon the fate of one of Earth’s most ancient animals, the rhinoceros, as World Rhino Day is observed. It is a day born out of concern, nurtured by passion, and carried forward by those who believe that the survival of this majestic creature is linked inextricably with the survival of our own moral and ecological conscience. Across continents, different species of rhino fight their battle for existence, but for Assam, the occasion carries a special resonance, because it is here that the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros stands not only as an animal to be conserved but as a proud symbol of identity, resilience, and heritage. The One-horned Rhino is the pride of Assam, a gentle giant whose survival story is woven into the very history and culture of this land. To speak of rhinos on World Rhino Day is, for Assam, to speak of itself, its people, its forests, its rivers, and its destiny.
The rhinoceros, with its prehistoric form, evokes awe and reverence. Its thick armoured hide, its calm but commanding presence, and its solitary horn give it the aura of a survivor from another age. Among the five species of rhinoceros found in the world, the Greater One-horned Rhino is today most prominently sheltered in Assam, particularly in the world-famous Kaziranga National Park, but also in Manas National Park, Orang National Park, and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. While many other species of rhino across Asia and Africa teeter on the brink of extinction, Assam has emerged as the strongest bastion of hope. It is not an exaggeration to say that without Assam, the One-horned Rhino would perhaps have vanished into history books and dusty museum skeletons. The very survival of this animal is therefore inseparably bound to the conservation efforts and moral responsibility of Assam.
The story of Kaziranga is inseparable from the story of the One-horned Rhino. At the turn of the twentieth century, the population of rhinos in Assam had dwindled dangerously due to rampant hunting and habitat loss. It was then that Mary Curzon, wife of Lord Curzon, visited the region in 1904. When she failed to spot even a single rhino during her trip to Kaziranga, she voiced her concern to her husband, which led to the declaration of Kaziranga as a reserved forest in 1905. That single decision changed the fate of the species. From a few hundred individuals at the beginning of the century, the population of the One-horned Rhino has today grown to over three thousand in Assam. Kaziranga, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has become synonymous with rhino conservation, its rolling grasslands and tall elephant grass forming an eternal home for the animal. Yet it is not merely a sanctuary; it is a battlefield where the struggle between conservation and destruction continues every day, often hidden from the gaze of tourists who come to marvel at its beauty.
The threats to the rhino have never been small. Chief among them has been poaching. Across Asia, particularly in some countries, a belief persists that the horn of the rhinoceros has medicinal or aphrodisiac properties, though in reality it is composed of nothing more than keratin, the same substance that forms human nails and hair. This dangerous myth has created a demand that fuels an illegal wildlife trade comparable in profitability to narcotics or arms smuggling. For a single horn, a living rhino is reduced to a bleeding carcass in the grasslands of Assam. The brutality of poaching has scarred the landscape of Kaziranga and beyond, with countless rhinos falling victim to organised networks of crime.
But alongside this tragedy, there are stories of courage and sacrifice. Forest guards in Assam, often working in treacherous terrain and under difficult conditions, have risked and even lost their lives in the fight against poachers. Armed encounters in the dense grasses, sleepless nights of patrol, and the emotional burden of witnessing mutilated carcasses have defined their struggle. Their work is seldom celebrated, but without their vigilance, Kaziranga would not have remained the stronghold it is today. In recent years, technology has added another layer of defence — drones, thermal cameras, GPS tracking, and coordinated intelligence — but even with these, the danger remains. A single breach can undo years of hard work. While the state has made commendable progress in reducing poaching incidents, the war is far from won, because so long as the market exists, the temptation for crime remains alive.
If poaching is one threat, nature itself presents another. The annual floods of the Brahmaputra, while part of a natural cycle that replenishes the grasslands of Assam, often bring devastation to wildlife. Rhinos, along with deer, elephants, and countless other animals, are forced to flee rising waters in search of higher ground. Many perish in the attempt, while calves are separated from mothers, and some fall victim to speeding vehicles as they attempt to cross roads in panic. Each flood season, news reports carry heartbreaking stories of rhinos struggling to survive. Rescue operations by forest staff and volunteers often succeed in saving some, but the losses remain severe. With climate change intensifying, floods are becoming more unpredictable, and erosion is swallowing riverbanks at alarming rates. The rhino, though majestic, is vulnerable to the whims of water and weather, and its survival is tied to the broader challenge of how Assam will adapt to an uncertain ecological future.
Despite these challenges, the resilience of the rhino is a lesson in itself. Over the decades, translocation programmes have moved rhinos from Kaziranga to Manas and Orang, in efforts to diversify habitats and reduce pressure on a single park. Pobitora, though small in size, now boasts one of the highest densities of rhinos in the world, proving that careful protection can yield extraordinary results. Each calf born in these sanctuaries is a symbol of hope, a reminder that extinction is not inevitable if humanity acts with care. The recovery of the One-horned Rhino from near oblivion to a population of over four thousand in India and Nepal combined is one of the greatest conservation success stories of the twentieth century. But success can breed complacency, and complacency is dangerous. The fragile gains of the past century can be undone within years if vigilance lapses.
For Assam, however, the rhino is not merely a conservation issue. It is part of its identity, etched deep into culture and consciousness. The state emblem carries the rhino as a symbol, a mark of pride and continuity. In Assamese folklore, literature, and art, the rhino appears as a figure of strength and endurance. Songs sung in villages near Kaziranga speak of its presence, while children grow up hearing tales of the gentle giant that roams the grasslands. For tourists, both Indian and foreign, spotting a rhino in the wild is a moment of awe, but for Assamese people, it is a moment of connection, almost familial, for the rhino is seen as one of their own. The pride in the animal is so deep that to harm it is felt as a wound upon the collective heart of the state. When poaching incidents make headlines, they do not merely register as crimes; they strike at the very identity of Assam. That is why it is said again and again, with conviction: the One-horned Rhino is the pride of Assam.
Eco-tourism has grown around this identity, bringing thousands of visitors to Kaziranga and other sanctuaries each year. For local communities, this has created livelihoods, from guiding tourists and running lodges to selling handicrafts and providing transport. The rhino thus sustains not only ecosystems but also economies. Yet, this too must be managed carefully. Tourism must not overwhelm the delicate balance of the parks. Roads, resorts, and vehicles cannot come at the cost of disturbing wildlife. True eco-tourism should ensure that while people benefit, the rhino and its fellow creatures are left undisturbed in their natural rhythms. Assam has an opportunity to model such sustainable practices, but it requires vision, regulation, and the participation of local communities.
The symbolism of the rhino stretches beyond economics and ecology. Its calm yet powerful presence reflects a kind of wisdom that modern humanity could learn from. Unlike the aggression often attributed to it, the rhino is generally peaceful unless provoked, living in quiet strength. The cruel irony is that its horn, designed by nature as a tool of defence, has become the very reason for its persecution. In this irony lies a mirror of human behaviour — the tendency to destroy what is unique, to commodify what is sacred, to exploit rather than to coexist. Protecting the rhino, therefore, is not only about saving an animal but about saving ourselves from the folly of our own destructiveness.
On World Rhino Day, as conversations circle across the globe, Assam’s voice carries a particular weight. The state knows better than most what it means to protect the species, for it has done so for over a century against impossible odds. It has seen the carcasses, heard the gunshots in the night, fought the floods, and yet held on to the vision that the rhino must endure. Each year when census figures are released, showing the steady if slow rise of the rhino population, Assam celebrates not numbers but the affirmation of identity, that the pride of its land still walks the earth.
The road ahead is neither smooth nor assured. Poaching syndicates adapt with new technology, climate patterns shift unpredictably, human populations press further into fragile habitats, and economic ambitions often override ecological sense. To navigate these challenges, Assam will need continued investment in protection, stronger laws, more advanced technology, and above all, the sustained involvement of its people. Conservation must not be seen as the responsibility of forest departments alone, but as a shared duty of society. Schools, universities, writers, artists, and religious leaders must all play a role in embedding respect for the rhino into daily consciousness. Awareness must go hand in hand with action.
As World Rhino Day is observed, the lesson from Assam is clear: conservation is not a matter of statistics or reports, but of values and willpower. The rhino has survived here because people, at critical moments, chose to value it. The decision of Mary Curzon in 1904, the daily patrols of forest guards, the awareness campaigns of local NGOs, the cooperation of villagers during flood rescues — all these choices have written the survival story. The future too will depend on choices. Will people choose short-term profit or long-term pride? Will myths about rhino horn continue to drive killing, or will science and awareness prevail? Will development respect the rhythms of nature, or will it bulldoze them in the name of progress? These questions will decide whether the One-horned Rhino continues to walk in the grasslands of Assam or becomes only a memory.
To protect the rhino is, ultimately, to protect ourselves. The ecosystems that sustain the rhino are the same that sustain human life, providing clean water, fertile soil, and balanced climate. In their grazing and movement, rhinos shape the grasslands, allowing a web of life to flourish. Remove them, and the balance collapses. Saving them is not charity but self-preservation. The rhino’s survival is therefore a test of humanity’s ability to live wisely upon this earth.
On this World Rhino Day, the message from Assam rings across the valleys of the Brahmaputra: the rhino is not just an animal, not just a species, not just a tourist attraction. It is a living emblem of pride, resilience, and identity. It is the pride of Assam. Its horn is not medicine; its life is the medicine we need — a reminder of humility, balance, and coexistence. To let it die would be to let part of ourselves die. To keep it alive is to affirm that even in a world of greed and destruction, there remains a place for compassion, foresight, and guardianship.
The One-horned Rhino, with its calm eyes and unyielding presence, continues to graze the tall grasses of Kaziranga and beyond. It has walked this land for centuries, and it asks for nothing but space to live. On this day, and on all days that follow, the responsibility rests with us to ensure that it is granted that space, that it is not hounded for its horn, not drowned in neglect, not erased by indifference. The test is upon us, and the verdict will define not only the future of the rhino but the very soul of Assam. For in every heartbeat of the One-horned Rhino, there beats the heartbeat of Assam itself.