From five rhinos in 1984 to 53 today — and now Dudhwa's rhinos are roaming free again

In 1984, just five greater one-horned rhinos were brought back to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, after the species had vanished from the area. The latest count, in June 2026, found 53 — 17 adult males, 25 adult females and 11 calves over a year old. For almost four decades the rhinos lived inside protected enclosures. In March 2026, four were moved out into open grassland, taking the number roaming free to eight, and the state is now testing whether 10 can live free as a first step. WWF India's rhino lead Amit Sharma says the real goal is bigger than any single release: a population that can breed, stay genetically healthy and sustain itself across the wider Terai grasslands and wetlands, connected to rhino landscapes in Nepal.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: institutional program