Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that not a single rhino was hunted in Assam in 2022.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that not a single rhino was poached in Assam in 2022.

The use of "sophisticated technology" along with tight vigil by armed commandos and forest personnel helped Assam achieve this goal.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state has achieved this feat after at least 20 years.

"It's probably been 20-25 years since Assam hasn't reported a single rhino poaching in a year."

The last poaching incident took place on December 28, 2021 at Hilakunda, Kohora in Golaghat district.

In June 2021, the Assam government constituted a 22-member task force headed by Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) GP Singh and deployed armed commandos for vigilance and strict action against poachers.

The government had additionally constituted a 22-member task force, comprising senior forest officers and SPs from at least 11 districts and divisional forest officers from six wildlife divisions, to investigate poaching.

These districts include Golaghat, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Morigaon, Baksa, Chirang, Barpeta and Majuli.

Poaching of at least 27 rhinos in 2013 and 2014 had become a serious concern for the state.

At least 18 rhinos were killed in 2016.

This was followed by a decrease in numbers with only one rhino poaching in 2021. Kaziranga National Park is now home to 2,613 rhinos and their numbers are increasing according to the latest census data by the National Park Authority.

In a clear message to poachers that rhino horn has no medicinal or monetary value, the Assam government publicly burnt a stockpile of 2,479 horns in September.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma then said, "The use of rhino horn for medicinal purposes is a myth."

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