A gang of rhino killers received a taste of their own medicine.

A rhino killing attempt was thwarted by Kaziranga National Park security forces, who shot three gang members during a deadly five hour encounter.

Authorities confiscated a rifle, ammunition, and an axe from the gang.

Check out the CVB News video:

Last weekend, a suspect was arrested when he sneaked into the Assam State Zoo, with the intention of killing at least one of the zoo’s nine greater one-horned rhinos.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Syndicated via Planetsave.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

“The time is always right to do what’s right.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This informative 30-page slideshow presentation points out that the solutions to the rhino crisis can be found in increased protection in all implicated states through international and national legislation, improved enforcement, stiffer penalties, and demand reduction – not legalized trade.

Watch, learn, and share with others:

(Click the square in the lower right to view in full screen mode.)

Legal trade in rhino horn raises serious ethical concerns, including:

• Legitimization of the product
• Undermining of demand reduction efforts
• Exploitation of cancer sufferers

Furthermore, ivory sales and China’s parallel market in tiger products have had devastating effects on these species.

About the presenter

Mark Jones is the Executive Director, Humane Society International/UK.

“The tragedy is that rhino horn is made of keratin, the same stuff that makes up human hair and nails. It has no medicinal value, you might as well eat your fingernails.” – Mark Jones, as told to the Daily Express in “It is devastating to see rhinos killed for a cure that doesn’t work“.

Image © iStockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Authorities hope a new tracker dog will help find rhino killers.

The body of a female rhino from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was reportedly found over the weekend, and unsurprisingly, her horn was missing.

Although bullet wounds were not found on the rhino, S.K. Seal Sharma, divisional forest officer of the Guwahati wildlife division, told The Telegraph the incident will be treated as a rhino poaching case by the authorities.

The horn of the rhino was missing but there were no bullet marks on it. However, as the horn is missing this is a case of poaching.

In June 2011, the first rhino in five years was killed at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. A schoolteacher from a neighboring village was arrested; authorities noted that the tragedy could not have occurred without the cooperation of locals living near the Sanctuary.

Dog on the case

The current Pobitora case marks the first time that a tracker dog has been deployed in Assam.

The dog – a Belgian Malinois named “Jorba” – has been trained to detect wildlife products, including ivory. The breed is used in American and European military and police work.

Jorba is said to have already provided some leads for the forest department.

Earlier this year, The New York Times speculated that a Belgian Malinois was part of the US Navy SEAL raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan.

Image: Pleple2000, via Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

A sad update from Assam.

Just days after authorities managed to disrupt a gang of rhino killers camped near Kaziranga National Park, a female rhino was found dead with her horn missing.

The rhino was murdered near Chirang forest camp in the Burhapahar range; she had four bullet wounds.

The Times of India reports that gunfire was exchanged between the gang and authorities.

It is believed that three people are involved and that they are still in the area, taking refuge near the park’s border. Police are working with local intelligence sources are hope to make arrests soon.

In an incident earlier this week, officials recovered a .303 rifle and ammunition from a gang in the Bokakhat area.

According to the Times of India, this is the second rhino killed in Kaziranga National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) since the beginning of the year. The Hindu reports that the state of Assam has lost a total of nine rhinos to the illegal rhino horn trade in 2011.

The current population of greater one-horned rhinos is around 2,949. This Asian rhino species is found only in a few protected areas within northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

Photo © iStockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Tragedy averted!

A gang of rhino killers camped on the outskirts of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park fled the scene when discovered by security forces in the Bokakhat area.

According to the Times of India, police received a tip about the illicit activities, and also recovered a .303 rifle, ammunition and a dagger.

India’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September, is a favorite time for rhino killers to strike.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes Nepal’s new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Baby rhinos!

Wonderful news from India: Seven baby rhinos have been born during the last four months!

One of the new calves was born in Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh, and the other six (six!) in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal.

Dudhwa’s rhino population has now increased to 31 greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis).

The Park’s reintroduction of the species began with seven translocated rhinos in 1984. Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh noted that this is a significant event.

The significance of this is that rhinos were translocated from Kaziranga to Dudhwa. The fact that now calves are being born shows that there has been great adaptability as far as the translocated rhinos are concerned. The birth of calves and (tiger) cubs shows protection to be secure.

Dudhwa National Park’s “rhino zone” is protected by a solar-powered electric fence, and regular patrols are done on elephant back and vehicle.

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is now home to 161 rhinos, with the sanctuary experiencing a record birth rate for greater one-horned rhinos, according to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Omprakash.

Six calves were born in the sanctuary in the past four months and this is the highest birth rate in the past one decade. It means that there is no stress on the calves and no biotic pressure (on the animals) in the sanctuary.

We have intensified patrolling and improved the habitat of the rhinos in the sanctuary. We have improved the wallow pools in the forest. We hope that the rate of breeding will improve in future.

Last month, forest guards thwarted a rhino killing attempt in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes Nepal’s new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

Image: © iStockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary hit after five years of peace.

An armed gang of rhino killers used six bullets from a .303 rifle to murder a rhino last weekend in Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The gang fired at forest guards and escaped under the cover of darkness with the rhino’s horn.

A schoolteacher, Faizul Karim, has been arrested in connection with the tragedy.

Divisional forest officer of the Guwahati wildlife division, S.K. Seal Sharma, noted via The Telegraph that the killing could not have occurred without the cooperation of people living nearby.

The incident could not have happened without local support. Investigations are on and we will catch the culprits.

Indeed, Karim, who is being held for harboring the gang, is a resident of Kurahibori village near the sanctuary. He is a teacher at Borbori Lower Primary School.

Killing disrupts five years of peace

Prior to last weekend’s tragedy, there had not been a rhino killing incident in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary since 2006.

Between 2000 and 2005, eight rhinos were murdered for their horns in Pobitora. The last reported incident was in February 2006, when the rhino wandered outside of the Sanctuary.

Additionally, eight gang members were arrested between 2005 and 2008. Seven were Bangladeshi immigrants and the eighth was from the notorious illegal wildlife trading hub of Nagaland.¹

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is currently home to about 84 greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) living in an area of 38.81 km² (14.9846 mi²) – the highest density of greater one-horned rhinos in the world.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes Nepal’s new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

• Learn more about the rhino killing gangs of India at India’s Rhino Poaching Gangs: A Closer Look
• Learn more about greater one-horned rhinos at Saving Rhinos
• Learn the facts about rhino horn at Busting the Rhino Horn Medicine Myth with Science
• Learn more about our Bust the Myth – Save the Species rhino crisis awareness campaign

1. Martin, E., Talukdar, B.K. and Vigne, L. “Rhino Poaching in Assam: Challenges and Opportunities.” Pachyderm No. 46 July-December 2009

Image: istockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Rhino killers busted in the dark of night.

Forest guards on patrol in West Bengal’s Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary have rooted out a gang of rhino killers who had set up camp inside the park’s core area.

The incident occurred around 3:00 AM, when guards on elephant back spotted the trespassers trying to position themselves in a tree to scout for rhinos.

Four forest guards, patrolling on two elephants, spotted five-six men inside the core area at around 3am. The group had set up a camp inside the forest and was trying to climb up the trees to spot one-horned rhinoceros from the top.

According to the Times of India, forest guards opened fire and the suspects scattered into the darkness. A gun, ammunition, food, mosquito repellent, and Nagaland newspaper were collected by officials.

It is believed that the rhino killing gang came from the Northeast, and a senior forest official noted that security has been increased.

It appears the poachers were from the Northeast. We have beefed up security to locate the culprits if they are still hiding there.

In October 2009, forest officials upset tour operators by halting elephant safaris inside Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

The controversial decision was made following the suspicious killings of two rhinos inside the sanctuary, which officials believe were linked to poachers posing as tourists in order to gain access to the core area of the sanctuary frequented by rhinos.

Sadly, in December 2009, two rhinos were killed in Kaziranga National Park with the tourist scheme.

Approximately 130 greater one-horned rhinos live in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

Rhino injured in Assam

Meanwhile, in Kaziranga National Park, it was also reported that forest guards responding to the sound of gunshots arrived in time to find a male rhino that had been shot, but still alive. The perpetrators fired at the guards and a gunfight ensued.

The incident occurred in the Agratoli range of the Park; so far, there are no updates about the rhino’s condition.

Greater one-horned rhinos

One of the three Asian rhino species, greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan in the west.

Today, the remaining 2,949 (includes Nepal’s new census) greater one-horned rhinos are found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Traditional medicine myths continue to threaten rhinos

Although the greater one-horned rhino population is steadily increasing, these rhinos remain under threat of being killed for their horn.

Despite the fact that extensive scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn has no medicinal value, myths and superstitions about rhino horn persist throughout China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is considered a key ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine.

• Learn more about the rhino killing gangs of India at India’s Rhino Poaching Gangs: A Closer Look
• Learn more about greater one-horned rhinos at Saving Rhinos
• Learn the facts about rhino horn at Busting the Rhino Horn Medicine Myth with Science
• Learn more about our Bust the Myth – Save the Species rhino crisis awareness campaign

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

A tragic turn of events in Assam.

Just days after authorities arrested three armed rhino poaching suspects, tragedy struck in Kaziranga National Park: A rhino was found murdered, with the horn chopped off.

The rhino’s body was discovered in the Gopaljaroni area of Sonitpur district, near the Biswanathghat forest range of the park, on Saturday, May 14^th.

According to the Times of India, this is the fourth rhino killed in Kaziranga National Park during 2011.

Read the entire article at Poachers kill rhino in Kaziranga, chop off its horn.

Gang members arrested

Earlier this month, three armed men believed to be members of a rhino killing gang were arrested as they attempted to sneak into Kaziranga National Park.

The suspects were identified as Sona Ngaihte, Hiramon Das, and Biren Das. A fourth gang member, Pranab Boruah, managed to flee.

The arrests were made in the Bihali area of Sonitpur district, near the Biswanathghat forest range of Kaziranga National Park.

No medicinal value in rhino horn

Rhinos throughout Asia and Africa remain under siege from a seemingly insatiable demand for rhino horn. Today, the consumer markets for illegal rhino horn are concentrated in China and Vietnam, where rhino horn is still considered a key ingredient in traditional medicines.

However, the notion of rhino horn’s healing properties has been proven to be nothing more than a cultural myth. Rhino horn has been extensively analyzed and found to have no medicinal value whatsoever. (Read the entire article at Busting the Rhino Horn Medicine Myth with Science.)

Greater one-horned rhinos

Although they once numbered fewer than 200, the world’s greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros uncornis) population has slowly climbed to approximately 2,950, thanks to conservation efforts and strict protection.

This Asian rhino species was once widespread throughout the northern floodplains and nearby foothills of the Indian sub-continent between the Indo-Myanmar border in the east, and Sindh River basin, Pakistan, in the west.

The greater one-horned rhino is now found only in a few protected areas in northeastern India and lowland Nepal.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.