Meet the Indian Rhinoceros Unicornis

India has long been a travellers dream destination because of the sheer wealth of experiences it offers. A multi-layered history has left a plethora of beautiful buildings, forts, temples and towns rich with relics and artefacts. The modern-day vivid culture takes place alongside ancient customs. Colourful fabrics and flavourful aromas flood the senses. And for the wildlife enthusiast, India takes its vibrancy and exoticism to a new level.

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The Indian Greater One-horned Rhino is unusual in appearance with its single 20-60cm long horn and its grey-brown hide with armour-like skin folds. This rhino enjoys a conservation success story with numbers increasing from under 200 in the 1950s to around 2600 today. However, the small population is still vulnerable. Current conservation initiatives include regular patrols of protected areas by anti-poaching teams, and most animals are now in protected sanctuaries of which Kaziranga offers the world’s largest population of Indian rhinoceros and wild Indian elephant. A World Heritage Site, Kaziranga is recognised as a unique biodiversity treasure because of its incredible range of fauna and flora and varied habitats. Grasslands, marshes and tropical forests cover the vast expanse that stretches from the Brahmaputra River to the forested Mikir Hills. The thriving population of one-horned rhino is 1800 strong and represents over two-thirds of the world’s total population.

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Operating successfully since 2008, the Diphlu River Lodge is the ideal destination to discover Kaziranga’s diversity, with itineraries for wildlife enthusiasts of all kinds. Explore the sprawling wilderness on guided walks or drives; take a river cruise for a sighting of the rare river dolphin; or for an up-close the personal wildlife experience, take a safari on elephant back.

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