Baby rhino brings new hope to India’s Manas National Park

A baby rhino spotted alongside its mother in India’s Manas National Park in September is an encouraging new sign that the rhino population in the protected area is on the upswing. The mother, known as Jamuna, was one of the rhinos translocated to Manas National Park in 2008 as part of India’s rhino conservation efforts. This calf is her second since 2013—a positive indication that despite concerns due to poaching of mature males, rhinos in the park are reproducing. WWF has been working with India’s Department of Environment and Forests, the government of Assam, and the International Rhino Foundation to reintroduce rhinos to Manas and establish a breeding population as part of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020. So far, 18 rhinos have been safely moved to the park from other areas, and there have been 15 new births.