With growing incidents of rhino horn poaching in Assam, the State is looking into the prospects of dehorning rhinos to keep poachers at bay. However, experts warn that dehorning of rhinos cannot be the solution to the problem for various reasons. They argued it not only grows back but also serves essential biological purposes for the rhinos.
According to official figures, Assam has a population of 2,552 rhinos. While Kaziranga heads the list with 2,329 individuals, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Orang National Park have 100 each. Manas National Park on the other hand has 23 rhinos. However, as per official statistics, 88 rhinos have been poached in Assam from 2008 to 2013.
Much dust was kicked when the recently-held Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 meeting in Guwahati had decided on exploring the feasibility of dehorning rhinos as a measure to reduce their poaching. The sources in State forest department informed that that an expert committee has been constituted on the directives of State Environment Minister to look into the feasibility of the move. Namibia was the first country to dehorn its rhinos in 1989.
However, on plea of anonymity they said that mere dehorning of rhinos will not help. In the absence of effective security, dehorning alone does not help. Citing study report, they said it had not worked in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, when most of the dehorned rhinos were killed within 12-18 months of dehorning in the early 1990s.
Neither had the ploy worked in South Africa, where 350 rhinos were poached in 2013 alone. But, Namibia managed to save its rhinos, as it had also invested heavily in anti-poaching infrastructures, besides dehorning. According to Heerak Nandy, Wildlife consultant, the idea must be dropped for various reasons. Firstly, one cannot simply remove the whole horn of the rhino without killing it. After the vets remove the horns the stumps remain rooted deep inside the tissue, which grow back like nails. This would make dehorning necessary in every 3-4 years, he said.
"The whole concept does not appear feasible as it involves huge expenses and frequent tranquilisation of the animal", said Nandy, adding for every 20 such attempts, at least one is killed. The experts further pointed out that the rhinos also use their horns also for various behavioral and biological functions. Most importantly, it is used in selection of mate for breeding and defending calves against predators. The horns are also used for defending their territories, digging ground for water and even breaking branches from trees for its food.