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On 9 July 2026, the 91st Meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL), chaired by Union EFCC Minister Bhupender Yadav at CASFOS, Coimbatore, approved a landmark DNA-based indexing system for the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, alongside review of 118 infrastructure + defence proposals. This adds to the 4 wildlife projects approved at the 7th National CAMPA Governing Body meeting the same day.
Context:
Key Facts
- Species: Rhinoceros unicornis — largest of surviving rhino species.
- Distribution: Northeastern India (Kaziranga hosts ~70% of world population) + Nepal’s Terai.
- Global population: ~4,000 individuals.
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable (VU).
- Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I.
- CITES: Appendix I.
- State Animal of: Assam.
- Habitat: Alluvial grasslands, savannas, marshy shrublands of Indo-Gangetic + Brahmaputra plains.
- Recovery: From ~200 individuals (early 20th century) to ~4,000 today — one of Asia’s most successful conservation stories.
What is Rhino DNA Index System (RhoDIS) ?
The Rhino DNA Index System (RhoDIS) is a wildlife forensic database that stores the unique genetic fingerprints of individual rhinoceroses.
Related Initiatives
- National Rhino Conservation Strategy (2019).
- New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos (2019).
- Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020).
- World Rhino Day: 22 September.
- Rhino Range Nations: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia.
