The devastating blow that poaching has dealt to rhino populations across the globe has put many iconic rhino species at risk of imminent extinction. Although it has been proven that the rare horn of the rhino is NOT in fact a cure for cancer, a hangover, or a party drug – as they are made only of compressed keratin, the rhino is still the victim of relentless poaching in many countries.

While this is not to say that poaching has been completely eradicated from the region, there is some awesome news coming from Indian rhinos. In the past seven years, the Indian rhino population has actually INCREASED by 27 percent, rising from a population of 2,006 rhinos, ironically in the year 2006, up to their current number of a whopping 2,544!

Thanks to Conservation efforts headed by the Environment and Forest Minister, Rockybul Hussain, the Indian rhino population is slowly but surely making a come back. Instances of poaching in wildlife preserves have not dropped, sadly, but Minister Hussain has called on the help of conservation and legal experts to help protect rhinos in more effective ways.

By setting up anti-poaching camps around wildlife preserves and sanctuaries, it is clear that the government is finally taking this matter seriously. And the result is something beautiful. Sometimes, even the slightest change in the way an issue is handled can reap amazing results, perhaps the effect we are seeing with Minister Hussain’s new plans.

If the Indian rhino population continues to grow at this pace, then hopefully one day soon they will no longer fall under the endangered list and be able to thrive, undaunted by poachers, in the wild.

Image source: Sanjay ach/Wikimedia Commons