The numbers of the Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) sank dangerously low at the beginning of the present century. Sportsmen and poachers shot it for its valuable horn, which is still mistakenly used in some parts of Eastern Asia as an aphrodisiac. (In fact all parts of the body are marketable for some purpose or other.) Strict protection both in and outside sanctuaries has saved it, and there are now at least 60 Rhinos in Bengal and 340 in Assam, a total of about 400 in India.
This species of Rhino is found only in India (apart from Nepal, where there are about 100 to 150 of them left). Formerly the one-horned Rhinoceros and the Asiatic two-horned Rhinoceros were also found in North Eastern India, but both of these have become extinct in this country.
Indian Rhino can be seen in Jaladapara Sanctuary of Bengal, and even more easily in the Kasiranga Sanctuary of Assam where many visitors now come from all over the world to see these prehistoric-looking, armour-plated creatures. Although they are supposed to be short-sighted and slow of hearing, they are extremely agile and can easily outstrip a man or an elephant.
A few are occasionally caught by the pit system, for the zoos of the world. Like wild elephants, when first captured they are extremely dangerous and ferocious, but they soon lose their fear of man and become remarkably tame.
A number of very fine wild life sanctuaries are being maintained in India in order to ensure the survival of rare and endangered species. They also provide visitors the pleasing spectacle of seeing the wild animals undisturbed in their natural habitat. The huge subcontinent of India possesses several species of Fauna not found in other parts of the world. The Rhinoceros, the Indian Swamp Deer, the Brow-antlered Deer, the Spotted Deer or Chital, Nilgai or the Blue Bull, the Blackbuck and the four-horned Antelope do not exist anywhere in the world except in India.
Although India is the home of the magnificent and spectacular Tiger, yet Indian Lion can claim to be the old inhabitant of this country. Today the Lion exists only in the Gir forest of Gujarat.
Other rare interesting animals include Indian Wild-Ass of Kutch, the Kashmir-Stag or Hangul and the Brow-Antlered Deer of Manipur.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India