India’s Dudhwa reserve tests rhino free-range survival
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In Uttar Pradesh, India, conservationists are testing whether greater one-horned rhinos can thrive as a self-sustaining, free-ranging population within the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
The reserve began reintroducing rhinos in 1984 with just five animals. As of June 2026, the rhino population reached 53, and four rhinos were moved from protected enclosures into grassland habitats, bringing the number of free-ranging mature rhinos to eight.
This move marks a shift from simple reintroduction to a longer-term goal: establishing a resilient population capable of surviving without constant management. WWF India’s Amit Sharma notes that the objective extends beyond releasing ten rhinos to building an ecologically functional and genetically diverse population. The Terai landscape, encompassing grasslands, wetlands, and forests, is crucial for rhino survival, with around 20% of Dudhwa currently grassland and 3% wetlands.
However, maintaining the habitat and monitoring the rhinos’ behaviour, including reproduction, survival rates, and genetic health, are vital for long-term success. Conservationists also recognize the need to connect Dudhwa with other habitats in India and Nepal to allow for natural rhino movement and maintain genetic diversity, while addressing challenges like habitat disruption from infrastructure and potential human-wildlife conflict. The reserve is also studying how rhinos and tigers coexist, as tigers occasionally prey on rhinos.
