Once widely distributed over the large tracts of tall, wet grassland and riverine forests along the foothills of Himalaya, rhinos are now confined to a few scattered protected areas (Pas) in the states of Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh in India. The surviving populations in West Bengal have become isolated, since no forest corridor exists between the two PAs, namely Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (JWS) and Gorumara National Park (GNP). The absence of any likelihood of infusion of newer genetic material into the already confined gene pool, insurmountable biotic pressure, ever-growing habitat encroachment and the continued menace of poaching have become causes of concern for the surviving populations.
The great Indian one-horned rhino, Rhinoceros unicornis, regarded as a World Heritage belonging to Schedule I Animals of the Indian Wildlife (Protection Act, 1972), is a highly endangered species.
Blood samples from six wild rhinos (four males and two females) from JWS and one (male) from the National Zoological Park (NZP) New Delhi, were obtained.
