Indian rhinoceros - Population & Distribution

To the brink of extinction...and back

Previous Population and Distribution
The Indian rhinoceros was once widespread, found in northern Pakistan, much of northern India (including Assam), Nepal, northern Bangladesh, and Myanmar. It occurred mainly in alluvial plain grasslands, where the grass grew up to 8m tall. It was also found in adjacent swamps and forests.

The species brushed very closely with extinction in the early 20th century, and only 600 individuals survived in the wild in 1975, in India and Nepal.

Current Population and Distribution
By 2002, conservation efforts resulted in the swelling of Indian rhino populations to 2,400 in the Terai Arc Landscape of India and Nepal, and the grasslands of Assam and north Bengal, northeast India.

Indian rhinos are now the most numerous of the three Asian rhino species; however, only two populations number more than 100 individuals.

With at least half of the total population, India's Kaziranga National Park remains the key reserve for this species. Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal, currently holds about 500 individuals. Strict protection has allowed the rhino population to increase, currently at a rate of approximately 5% per year.