On September 22, the world celebrates World Rhino Day. It is observed to spread awareness for all five species of the Rhinos around the world. It was first celebrated in 2011. Over time, the Forest Department in Assam has collected around 2,500 horns of one-horned rhinoceros who had died either by natural causes or due to poaching exercises.
On the occasion of World Rhino Day, Assam Govt burned 2,479 horns of greater one-horned rhinoceros in Golaghat today to “send a strong message to poachers that the horn is of no medicinal value” pic.twitter.com/KEYl4LksoD
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2021
The exercise of collecting these horns started decades ago, and they were kept in state treasuries till date under the custody of the Forest Department. Notably, the horn of a rhino is a mass of compacted hair. They fetch high cost in the black market due to the myths involving traditional Chinese medicines in which the powder of these horns are used.
The ‘Daha Sanskar’ ceremony, a symbolic ritual for all the dead rhinos
Last week, the state cabinet announced that after weeks of rhino horn re-verification exercise, the Forest Department is all set to dispose of the horns in a Hindu traditional ritual. Close to 2,500 horns would be burnt to pay respect to the dead one-horned rhinoceros on September 22.
Today is a historic day for Assam & India. We have taken an extraordinary step of burning stockpile of 2479 horns of single-horned Rhinos, first-of-its-kind globally in volume terms, pursuing vision of Hon PM Sri @narendramodi of putting an end to poaching in Assam 1/2@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/4SuN0XuCWB
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 22, 2021
The ceremony took place today at Bokakhat in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as chief guest along with other political leaders. The ceremony is being described as a “milestone towards rhino conservation” aimed at “busting myths about rhino horns”. MK Yadava, Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam, said, “It’s a loud and clear message to the poachers and smugglers that such items have no value.”
According to the forest department, the ground rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine as medicine for a range of diseases, including hangovers and even cancer. Some believe that horn medicine has an aphrodisiac effect on humans. Notably, in countries like Vietnam, owning a rhino horn is considered to be a status symbol. There are several other reasons that have led to excessive poaching exercises to kill the animal and cut off its horn.
The law allows destruction of the horns
Under Section 39(3)(c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, the horns would be destroyed in the ceremony. Last month, Gauhati High Court held a public hearing over the ceremony but received no objections from the public.
An Indian Express report quoted Bibhab Talukdar, chair of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Asian Rhino Specialist Group, and CEO and secretary-general of the NGO Aaranyak, India is a signatory to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). He said, “It is illegal to sell the horns in the country anyway. So instead of the horns decaying in treasuries, the decision to burn it will send a clear-cut message —that this is not medicine.”
Horn re-verification
In the months of August and September, the Forest Department carried out re-verification exercises of the horns that were stored in treasuries across wildlife zones, including Morigaon, Manas, Mangaldai, Guwahati, Bokakhat, Nagaon and Tezpur. They examined over 2,500 horns. The horns were examined, tagged, weighed, measured, and extracted DNA for a genetic sampling of each and every horn, besides other aspects. Several experts, including DFOs, wildlife experts, forensic specialists and technicians, were part of the re-verification teams. While the majority of the horns were earmarked for Daha Sanskar, 5% of the horns have been marked for preservation.
The re-verification process was completed by the department on September 12. Some of them that were marked for preservation including the longest horn (51.5 cm, weight 2.5 kg) from the Guwahati treasury and the heaviest horn (3.05 kg, 36 cm) from the Bokakhat treasury. As per the reports, 15 African rhino horns were reconciled. Twenty-one horns were found to be fake during the re-verification process. 2,479 horns would be destroyed. 94 horns would be preserved.
Superstitions around medicinal value of horn have caused the killing of hundreds of rhinos
The threat of poaching can be understood by the fact that the state of Assam created a dedicated Special Rhino Protection Force to keep a check on poaching activities. As per the rhino census, in KNP, there were 2,413 rhinos. Orang National Park has 101, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has 102, and Manas National Park has 43 rhinos.
In 2013 and 2014, 27 cases of poaching in each year were reported. In 2015, there were 17 such cases, in 2016, 18 cases were reported, in 2017 and 2018, six such cases came to light, and in 2019, 3 cases were reported. Reports suggest 2-3 rhinos were poached in 2020-21. Though the number of cases has reduced, it is still a serious threat, and experts believe the authorities should not let the guard down. In 2020, Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that he was confident that Assam would get rid of the “[poaching] menace very soon.”
Our Government has made phenomenal achievement by reducing the number of one-horned rhinos poaching cases from 21 in 2015 to just 3 in 2019. I am confident that we soon be able to get rid of this menace very soon.#AssamBudget2020
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 6, 2020
Symbolic importance of the ‘Daha Sanskar’ ritual: A tribute and farewell to Assam’s beloved rhinos
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma presided over the ‘Daha Sanskar’ ritual that was performed in the presence of priests and as per Hindu customs. In destroying the horns legally, the Assam government has sent a strong message to poachers, that the horns have no medicinal value. Also, by organising a formal Daha Sanskar ritual, the government has also sent a message that the Assam’s rhinos are family, important to the state’s culture and identity.
It is symbolic respect to all those animals who have perished in the hand of poachers, brutally killed for their horns, or died a natural death. By organising a ritual, the CM has asserted an emotional bond to Assam’s rhinos. That they are loved, and they will be protected.
By performing the last rites of the dead rhinos, the government of Assam is sending a strong message to the poachers that Assam sees rhinos as family members and would take strong action whoever tried to harm them.
