Assam Government to Burn Rhino Horns to Bust Myths About the Exotic Animal Today

Assam government will burn over 2500 Rhino horns at Bokakhat in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in presence of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma today.
Assam Government to Burn Rhino Horns to Bust Myths About the Exotic Animal Today

GUWAHATI: Assam's Kaziranga National Park will host its kind event at Bokakhat. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will be present as the Chief guest in the Rhino horn burning event on the occasion of World Rhino Day on September 22

According to a forest department official, this event signifies that Rhino horns hold no value and is a message to the poachers as well as to the public to raise awareness about the animal, which has been at the receiving end due to its high value in the illegal market. 

In a cabinet decision on September 16, the Assam government had decided to burn 2500 horns of the endangered one-horned rhinoceros that is stockpiled in state treasuries. 

Further, it was also decided that 94 horns will be preserved as heritage pieces and another 50 will be stored for court-related purposes. 

The rhino horn verification committee constituted by the Assam government has studied specimens stored in 12 treasuries across the state. It has also been recorded as the world's largest horn, weighing 3.051 kg and 36 cm in height.

 Out of 2,623 horns, 2,479 will be destroyed and 94 will be preserved for court or research purposes.

According to recent media reports, poaching of one-horned Rhinoceros has decreased but is continuing in Kaziranga National Park. To break the poaching nexus in Assam more effort is required for adequate conservation of one-horned rhinoceros. 

Rhino horns are extensively used in traditional Chinese medicines and are a powerful status symbol in many South-East Asian countries. 

Assam government has constituted 'Special Rhino Protection Force' in 2019 to keep a check on illegal poaching. This has resulted in a decrease in poaching. 

According to recent reports during the COVID-19 pandemic around three rhinoceros has been poached from the Kaziranga National Park. 

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