The population of rhinos has grown in the latest census, which concluded in the Kaziranga National Park on Monday, bringing relief to the Assam forest department.
The world heritage site for the one-horned rhino was in the limelight for being the target of poachers since January 2013.
The rhino census found growth of 39 one-horn rhino in the Kaziranga National Park, which had recorded the presence of 2290 rhinos in the last census.
Park authorities pointed out that since the census started in the Kaziranga national Park on March 24, they counted 645 adult males and 684 adult females besides sub-adults and cubs.
The park was closed for visitors during the counting which was conducted by over 250 staff with 50 elephants covering all the 81 blocks and five ranges of Burapahar, Bagori, Kohora, Agratoli and Uttarpara of the Kaziranga National Park, park authorities said.
In an obvious attempt to make it more transparent, the park authorities had also involved NGOs and media groups with the state forest officials in the counting process.
The census of rhino is conducted every two years. The headcount of rhinos in Kaziranga has been a regular practice and is conducted to implement a fruitful conservation method, the park authorities said while releasing the data of rhino census here on Tuesday.
It is significant that in 2012, Kaziranga lost more than 20 rhinos in poacher attacks and 14 so far this year. In the last census population of rhino in Kaziranga was 2290. It has grown from 1672 in 1999 and 2048 in 2009.
Regretting that some poachers having nexus with extremist groups of Karbi Anglong are still active, the park authorities said that growth of population is also indicator of success in conservation of animal.