‘This triumph in India…’: Here’s what impressed Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio

Oscar winner Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has taken to social media site Instagram to praise the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Government for putting a stop to rampant poaching of one-horned rhinoceros in the state. 

The One-Horned rhinos had become and endangered species owing to excessive poaching of the animals. Poachers would lurk after the horn on these animals, and to gain it, often end up killing them. 

DiCaprio applauded Assam's efforts and consequent achievement in putting a halt to this illegal practice thereby saving the innocent lives of the rhinos. 

He wrote, "In 2021, the government of the Indian state of Assam set out to end the poaching of the Endangered Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park following the killing of around 190 animals for their horns between 2000 and 2021. In 2022, they met their goal and no rhinos were poached in the area for the first time since 1977."

"Kaziranga National Park is home to 2,200 Greater One-horned Rhinos, which is about two-thirds of the world's population. This triumph in India also comes with more good news, as @wwf also reports that the world population of the rare rhino soared to around 3,700 from about 200 at the turn of the 20th century," Leonardo added.

Assam's Kaziranga National Park (KNP) - located in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra river - is the biggest habitat for one-horned rhinos globally and draws visitors from across the globe.

In 2015 and 2016, the number of rhinos killed by poachers was 17 and 18, respectively, which subsequently declined to two in 2020 and 2021 and zero in 2022.

Leonardo is an ardent environmentalist. His work to help animals is equally extensive. Through his LDF (Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation) projects, he's worked to protect endangered species.

Reportedly, In 2010, LDF donated USD 1 million to an innovative Nepalese conservation project to preserve the country's wild tiger population. The LDF has also funded projects to protect the Black Rhino in Tanzania, the lowland gorilla in Central Africa, and the snow leopard in Central Asia.

The LDF also pledged USD 7 million in funds towards marine conservation initiatives at the 2014 Our Oceans conference.

(With inputs from ANI)