In 2013 and 2014, the state of Assam lost 27 rhinos annually due to poaching. At the center of this fight was Kaziranga National Park, home to the world's largest population of one-horned rhinos. Animal protection presented a huge problem due to organized poaching networks, complex terrain, and annual floods.
However, less than a decade later, statistics showed a completely different picture. In 2022, Assam recorded zero cases of rhino poaching for the first time since 1977, marking the first year without poaching in 45 years in the state.
This significant achievement was made possible by the long-term efforts of forest department employees, rangers, police personnel, and local communities. Among the officers who contributed to strengthening and maintaining this protection system, stands Sandip Kumar, an IFS officer from the 1989 batch, who currently serves as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Assam (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF).
Between 2000 and 2021, at least 191 rhinos were poached in Assam. After a peak of 27 deaths in 2013 and 2014, the number of victims gradually decreased: it was three in 2019, two in 2020, and two in 2021.
A key change was the decision to treat poaching as organized crime requiring coordinated intelligence and law enforcement. In 2021, Assam formed a Special Anti-Poaching Task Force, bringing together forest and police personnel to investigate poaching networks and improve inter-departmental information sharing.
The protection system in Kaziranga was also expanded through technology implementation. In addition to foot patrols, forest teams began receiving assistance from drones, CCTV cameras, thermal imaging equipment, and electronic monitoring in vulnerable areas of the park. Improved wireless communication enhanced coordination between camps, and intelligence networks allowed officials to track suspected poachers and identify threats before they reached the animals.
Serving as the chief wildlife warden of Assam since 2023, and subsequently as PCCF and HoFF, Kumar joined the leadership responsible for strengthening this broader protective network. Frontline forest staff received better equipment and training, and closer collaboration between the Forest Department, police, and other agencies enabled authorities to respond faster to suspected poaching attempts.
The achievement of 2022 did not mean the threat disappeared. In 2023, one rhino was poached in Assam, and in 2024, two. Authorities intensified law enforcement with measures such as Operation 'Falcon', which targeted organized poaching gangs and helped prevent numerous attempts.
In 2025, Assam again recorded zero rhino poaching incidents. In Kaziranga, Director of Field Operations Dr. Sonali Ghosh and hundreds of frontline staff continue this work. Female forest guards, including members of Van Durga, patrol vulnerable zones and help gather information from local residents around the park.
Local residents and youth also play a vital role in the protection network, providing information about suspicious movements near villages bordering the reserve.
The successes go beyond poaching statistics. According to the 2022 census, the rhino population in Kaziranga stood at 2613, compared to 2048 in 2009. Several years ago, Assam was losing up to 27 rhinos in a single year, and since then, it has registered two years without poaching—in 2022 and 2025.
For Sandip Kumar and many officers, rangers, police, and communities continuing this work, this transformation demonstrates what sustainable conservation can achieve when intelligence, technology, law enforcement, and community participation work together.
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) has recorded substantial progress in combating rhinoceros poaching. The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs of KwaZulu-Natal reported a 52% decrease in poaching-related mortality during the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
This positive trend was presented during a KwaZulu-Natal legislative assembly hearing, where the Minister of Economic Development (MEC), Reverend Musa Zondi, outlined a multifaceted strategy ensuring these improvements. Zondi noted that despite ongoing conservation efforts, pressure from poachers on the park remains high, evidenced by a shootout in May between police and suspected poachers, resulting in the seizure of firearms.
A key element is the annual dehorning procedure, which began on April 1, 2024. Zondi emphasized that this measure is part of a broader set of actions contributing to the significant reduction in poaching. Data shows a 52% drop in mortality from January 1 to May 31, 2026, relative to 2025.
The Ezemvelo Rhino Guardianship Strategy employs a comprehensive approach, combining intelligence-led policing, ranger deployment, and technology use. Through engagement with key stakeholders, including SAPS via various joint forums, coordinated investigations, targeted preventative operations, and special investigative projects are being implemented.
Reverend Zondi called for targeted budgetary funding to implement proven anti-poaching measures such as dehorning, integrity testing, and drone usage. Furthermore, the ministry explained that community-oriented programs aim to prevent poacher recruitment by raising awareness, promoting alternative income sources, and building partnerships.
All poaching incidents and related data on anti-poaching efforts are systematically registered in the national CMORE database. This allows for detailed tracking of trends and linking the results of public initiatives to changes in poaching pressure. Ezemvelo maintains a strict Integrity Testing Policy, requiring mandatory polygraph testing for staff, contractors, and service providers. A recent audit revealed 24 signs of deception out of 166 tests conducted, accounting for 15%.
Hannah Lidgett, the DA KZN representative for Edtea, welcomed the decline in mortality, noting the drop from 307 in 2023 to 199 in 2024 and 63 in 2025. However, Lidgett also expressed concern that 10 rhino carcasses were found in HiP between May 1 and May 31, 2026, with only three interceptions and nine arrests recorded. She also pointed out that 24 out of 166 EKZNW staff tests showed signs of deception and demanded an urgent investigation by the authorities.
