Four Greater One Horned rhinos released at Dudhwa Tiger reserve, boosting conservation efforts :

March 24 – 2026 :
On 23-24 March 2026, four greater one-horned rhinos were translocated from inside the 27-sq km fenced rehabilitation area of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve to suitable grassland habitat also in the core of the reserve. With this, the total number of rhinos which are now free-ranging in Dudhwa has increased to eight, giving a major push to rhino conservation efforts in India’s Terai region. This mammoth exercise was led by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department with support from WWF-India, senior veterinarians and rhino experts, and field workers.

One male and three females aged between 15 to 25 years were identified for the purpose. Specialised teams of experts, including the renowned wildlife veterinarian Dr K.K Sharma, helped tranquilise the rhinos, which were then fitted with radio collars and released after their health parameters were checked.

Dr H. Rajamohan, Field Director Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, said, “The successful relocation of rhinos at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is a giant leap for rhino conservation. After decades of hard work, the efforts to bring back rhinos to India’s Terai landscape have finally begun to bear fruit. The exercise exemplifies the commitment of the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department to conserve and protect the greater one-horned rhinos”.

Dr Dipankar Ghose, Senior Director, Biodiversity Conservation, WWF-India, said, “A viable population of free-ranging rhinos benefits the larger Terai Arc Landscape, which is one of the most productive landscapes in the country. Rhinos are one of the best indicators of grassland ecosystems. They are often called ecological engineers, as by continuous grazing, they prevent tall and unpalatable grasses from dominating”.

In similar operations in November 2024 and March 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department released four rhinos from the rehabilitation area in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve . The Forest Department, with support from WWF-India and other experts, has been monitoring their behaviour and health, and early findings indicate their suitable adaptation to the area. The learnings from the first and second translocations, along with the promising results, have been the backbone of the third translocation exercise.

A joint team from the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department and WWF-India has also set up a monitoring mechanism and a control room in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve to monitor the released rhinos using VHF and satellite locations.