Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 3 (ANI): Dudhwa National Park, located in the foothills of Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh, become an ideal home to the famed one horned rhinoceros that is listed among the endangered species.

The number of rhinos at this sanctuary has increased courtesy, the successful relocation of these animals from Kaziranga in Assam and breeding them.

The translocation of the rhinos was initiated in 1984 after the last of the rhinos at Dudhwa was killed by the European game hunters in 1878.

According to Rhinoceros Relocation Project Conservator R L Singh, the rhinos are more endangered than the tigers as evident from the illegal trade of rhino horns by the mafia.

The horns of rhinos are believed to possess therapeutic values and extensively used in oriental medicines.

Singh said the rhino relocation and breeding project at Dudhwa has proved to be a grand success.

“In 1984, we brought here around five rhinos from Kaziranga National Park. After one year we bought 5 female rhinos from Chitwan National Park in Nepal and in return gave them 16 tame elephants. I am very happy to inform you that at present we have 28 rhinos in Dudhwa National Park,” Singh added.

Mohammad Naseen, a caretaker in the Dudhwa Rhino Rehabilitation Project mentioned that rhinos are more in danger than the tigers.

He said tigers though being small in numbers exist at various places throughout the country unlike the rhinos, which are found only in the Kaziranga National Park and the Gorumara and Jaldapara sanctuaries in the neighbouring West Bengal. (ANI)