Assam: Kaziranga retains ‘Good with Some Concerns’ rating in IUCN 2025 outlook

Guwahati: The iconic Kaziranga National Park, home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, has retained its “Good with Some Concerns” rating in the 2025 IUCN World Heritage Conservation Outlook.

The rating signals steady management but highlights mounting challenges from climate change, tourism, and development pressures.

The IUCN report praises Kaziranga’s robust legal framework, effective anti-poaching operations, and stable populations of flagship species such as the rhinoceros and Bengal tiger.

However, it raises alarms over growing threats from extreme floods, unregulated tourism, and encroachment, warning that these could strain the park’s ecological integrity without adaptive, science-based conservation.

“Kaziranga remains a global model for rhino conservation, but rising flood intensity, tourism infrastructure, and habitat fragmentation demand stronger landscape-level planning,” the Outlook notes.

Poaching at Historic Low, But Floods and Roads Pose New Risks

Rhino poaching, once a major concern, has dropped dramatically, from 27 rhinos killed in 2013 to zero in 2022, and only two each in 2023 and 2024.

Authorities attribute this progress to improved intelligence, drone surveillance, and coordinated policing efforts.

However, severe floods, intensified by climate change, continue to devastate wildlife and habitats. The 2024 flood, considered the most severe since 1991, caused widespread losses despite rescue operations that saved 180 animals.

A new tourism plan proposes limiting safari carrying capacity and diverting visitors to buffer zones to reduce pressure on core habitats.

Community Engagement and Governance

The report acknowledges that local communities are increasingly participating in conservation through eco-development committees and women-led livelihood initiatives. However, it cautions that tensions still exist, driven by displacement linked to park expansion and a perceived “militarised” approach to anti-poaching.

Over 1,200 forest personnel, including three commando battalions and the Special Rhino Protection Force, now guard the park.

Biodiversity Richness Expands

Kaziranga’s biodiversity continues to thrive. The park now records 446 butterfly species, 70 orchids across 36 genera, and 17 species of freshwater turtles, including the endemic Assam roofed turtle. Its bird checklist has surpassed 553 species, reaffirming its status as a vital node on the Australasian–Indo-Asian flyway.

Looking Ahead

Despite severe threats from floods, erosion, and invasive species, Kaziranga’s conservation model remains largely effective. The IUCN concludes that while the park’s Outstanding Universal Value remains intact, adaptive governance, community partnerships, and flood-resilient planning will be essential to safeguard it amid a changing climate and increasing human pressures.