‘Rhinos are household, they are going to be protected’: What the Assam govt’s ‘Daha Sanskar’ ritual for useless rhinos on World Rhino Day means

On September 22, the world celebrates World Rhino Day. It is noticed to unfold consciousness for all 5 species of the Rhinos around the globe. It was first celebrated in 2011. Over time, the Forest Department in Assam has collected round 2,500 horns of one-horned rhinoceros who had died both by pure causes or on account of poaching workout routines.
On the event of World Rhino Day, Assam Govt burned 2,479 horns of larger one-horned rhinoceros in Golaghat as we speak to “send a strong message to poachers that the horn is of no medicinal value” pic.twitter.com/KEYl4LksoD— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2021
The train of accumulating these horns began many years in the past, and so they have been saved in state treasuries until date below the custody of the Forest Department. Notably, the horn of a rhino is a mass of compacted hair. They fetch excessive value within the black market as a result of myths involving conventional Chinese medicines by which the powder of those horns are used.
The ‘Daha Sanskar’ ceremony, a symbolic ritual for all of the useless rhinos
Last week, the state cabinet introduced that after weeks of rhino horn re-verification train, the Forest Department is all set to get rid of the horns in a Hindu conventional ritual. Close to 2,500 horns can be burnt to pay respect to the useless one-horned rhinoceros on September 22.
Today is a historic day for Assam & India. We have taken a rare step of burning stockpile of 2479 horns of single-horned Rhinos, first-of-its-kind globally in quantity phrases, pursuing imaginative and prescient of Hon PM Sri @narendramodi of placing an finish to poaching in Assam 1/2@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/4SuN0XuCWB— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 22, 2021
The ceremony came about as we speak at Bokakhat in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) within the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as chief visitor together with different political leaders. The ceremony is being described as a “milestone towards rhino conservation” geared toward “busting myths about rhino horns”. MK Yadava, Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam, stated, “It’s a loud and clear message to the poachers and smugglers that such items have no value.”
According to the forest division, the bottom rhino horn is utilized in conventional Chinese drugs as drugs for a variety of ailments, together with hangovers and even most cancers. Some imagine that horn drugs has an aphrodisiac impact on people. Notably, in international locations like Vietnam, proudly owning a rhino horn is taken into account to be a standing image. There are a number of different causes which have led to extreme poaching workout routines to kill the animal and reduce off its horn.
The regulation permits destruction of the horns
Under Section 39(3)(c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, the horns can be destroyed within the ceremony. Last month, Gauhati High Court held a public listening to over the ceremony however obtained no objections from the general public.
An Indian Express report quoted Bibhab Talukdar, chair of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group within the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Asian Rhino Specialist Group, and CEO and secretary-general of the NGO Aaranyak, India is a signatory to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). He stated, “It is illegal to sell the horns in the country anyway. So instead of the horns decaying in treasuries, the decision to burn it will send a clear-cut message —that this is not medicine.”
Horn re-verification
In the months of August and September, the Forest Department carried out re-verification workout routines of the horns that have been saved in treasuries throughout wildlife zones, together with Morigaon, Manas, Mangaldai, Guwahati, Bokakhat, Nagaon and Tezpur. They examined over 2,500 horns. The horns have been examined, tagged, weighed, measured, and extracted DNA for a genetic sampling of every horn, apart from different facets. Several consultants, together with DFOs, wildlife consultants, forensic specialists and technicians, have been a part of the re-verification groups. While nearly all of the horns have been earmarked for Daha Sanskar, 5% of the horns have been marked for preservation.
The re-verification course of was accomplished by the division on September 12. Some of them that have been marked for preservation together with the longest horn (51.5 cm, weight 2.5 kg) from the Guwahati treasury and the heaviest horn (3.05 kg, 36 cm) from the Bokakhat treasury. As per the reviews, 15 African rhino horns have been reconciled. Twenty-one horns have been discovered to be faux through the re-verification course of. 2,479 horns can be destroyed. 94 horns can be preserved.
Superstitions round medicinal worth of horn have precipitated the killing of a whole bunch of rhinos
The menace of poaching will be understood by the truth that the state of Assam created a devoted Special Rhino Protection Force to maintain a examine on poaching actions. As per the rhino census, in KNP, there have been 2,413 rhinos. Orang National Park has 101, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has 102, and Manas National Park has 43 rhinos.
In 2013 and 2014, 27 circumstances of poaching in every year have been reported. In 2015, there have been 17 such circumstances, in 2016, 18 circumstances have been reported, in 2017 and 2018, six such circumstances got here to gentle, and in 2019, 3 circumstances have been reported. Reports counsel 2-3 rhinos have been poached in 2020-21. Though the variety of circumstances has lowered, it’s nonetheless a severe menace, and consultants imagine the authorities mustn’t let the guard down. In 2020, Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated that he was assured that Assam would do away with the “[poaching] menace very soon.”
Our Government has made phenomenal achievement by lowering the variety of one-horned rhinos poaching circumstances from 21 in 2015 to simply 3 in 2019. I’m assured that we quickly be capable to do away with this menace very quickly.#AssamBudget2020— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 6, 2020
Symbolic significance of the ‘Daha Sanskar’ ritual: A tribute and farewell to Assam’s beloved rhinos
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma presided over the ‘Daha Sanskar’ ritual that was carried out within the presence of monks and as per Hindu customs. In destroying the horns legally, the Assam authorities has despatched a powerful message to poachers, that the horns haven’t any medicinal worth. Also, by organising a proper Daha Sanskar ritual, the federal government has additionally despatched a message that the Assam’s rhinos are household, vital to the state’s tradition and identification.
It is symbolic respect to all these animals who’ve perished within the hand of poachers, brutally killed for his or her horns, or died a pure loss of life. By organising a ritual, the CM has asserted an emotional bond to Assam’s rhinos. That they’re beloved, and they are going to be protected.
By performing the final rites of the useless rhinos, the federal government of Assam is sending a powerful message to the poachers that Assam sees rhinos as relations and would take robust motion whoever tried to hurt them.