Assam: Rhino Monitoring Training Conducted At Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

MORIGAON: Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization, recently organized a two-day intensive ‘Rhino Monitoring Training Programme’ at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) in Assam, aimed at bolstering rhino conservation efforts in and around the sanctuary.

The training, developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (Asian Rhino Specialist Group), aimed to help forest field staff improve their skills in tracking and identifying individual rhinos. Supported by IUCN (CAG), the program focused on improving conservation management strategies and making data collection more efficient.

The training had two parts: learning theory and practicing in the field. In the theory part, participants studied the physical features of 75 known rhinos to learn how to recognize them accurately. Then, in the field, the staff identified these rhinos in their natural habitat and recorded important information.

Dr. Deba Kumar Dutta, Senior Manager at Aaranyak and IUCN-accredited Rhino Monitoring Instructor, led the training, guiding 60 frontline forest staff. C.R. Bhobora, IFS (Retd.); Pranjal Baruah, Range Officer of Pobitora WLS; and Ujjal Bayan, researcher at Aaranyak, also participated, offering valuable insights.

One important result of the training was creating the ‘Rhino Unique Identification Booklet,’ a crucial tool for field staff to easily track and record individual rhinos. This project is a major step forward in improving rhino conservation in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, helping staff gain the skills needed to monitor the greater one-horned rhinoceros more effectively.

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