Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Project Rhino, a new initiative to strengthen conservation efforts for the greater one-horned rhinoceros across India. The announcement was made on World Rhino Day, 22 September 2026, through the Prime Minister’s Office.
The project will provide financial and technical assistance to states where rhinos live and breed, focusing on protection, habitat restoration, genetic improvement, and monitoring of animal numbers.
What the project covers
Project Rhino targets the range states – those territories where wild rhino populations exist or are being restored. The initiative offers two main forms of support: financial resources and technical expertise.
The four pillars of the project are:
- Protecting existing rhino populations from poaching and other threats
- Improving and maintaining the natural habitats where rhinos live
- Strengthening the genetic health of rhino populations through managed breeding
- Gathering data to understand how rhino populations are changing
Currently, Assam holds roughly 80 percent of the world’s greater one-horned rhinos. Kaziranga National Park in Assam has been noted for its anti-poaching work. Beyond Assam, rhinos have been successfully brought back or are being protected in Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. In Dudhwa, Uttar Pradesh, rhinos that had disappeared from the region have been reintroduced, marking a significant recovery milestone.
What this means for you
If you live in or near rhino range states, this project may affect local wildlife tourism, conservation employment, and environmental policies in your region. For students and researchers interested in wildlife biology or conservation, Project Rhino creates opportunities to participate in habitat management and population studies. The initiative also signals government commitment to reversing wildlife decline, which has broader implications for how India balances development with environmental protection.