Kaziranga National Park in Assam recorded zero rhino poaching in 2022, marking the first year without a poached one-horned rhino since 1977.
The milestone followed a period in which the park lost 27 rhinos to poachers in a single year, highlighting the severity of the threat from organised criminal networks.
Indian Forest Service officer Sandeep Kumar was among the officials who helped redesign the park's protection strategy.
The revised approach combined drone surveillance, intelligence-led operations, expanded patrol teams and formalised participation from communities living around the park.
These measures disrupted poaching supply chains and increased the risk of detection for would-be offenders.
Conservationists caution that the achievement remains fragile, noting that proposed changes to the park's Eco-Sensitive Zone could affect habitat integrity and protection capacity.
Park authorities say sustained funding, staffing and political will are essential to maintain the zero-poaching record in future years.
The one-horned rhino population in Kaziranga has grown to more than 2,600 individuals, representing the largest concentration of the species worldwide.
How Kaziranga Went From 27 Rhino Poachings to ZERO 🦏
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