Meet Vijay Shri, Deepika and the other rhinos now roaming free in Dudhwa
Eight rehabilitated rhinos, including Vijay Shri, Deepika, Nakul and Riddhi, have been released into the wild at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve to boost genetic diversity.
Among the 53 rhinos counted in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve’s latest census are eight rhinos aged 10 to 15 years that have been released from the reserve’s two Rhino Rehabilitation enclosures, covering 27 square kilometres and 13.4 square kilometres respectively, to improve genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding.
The free-ranging rhinos include Vijay Shri and Deepika, released in November 2024; Nakul and Riddhi, released in March 2025; and Harsh, Deepti, Sushma and Rashi, released in March 2026. ‘Of the 53 rhinos, six are housed in RR1, 36 in RR2, while 11 now roam freely in the wild, significantly improving sighting opportunities for tourists in Dudhwa’s open safari zones,’ said DTR Field Director H. Rajamohan.
The fourth rhino census, conducted between June 25 and 27, recorded a net increase of five rhinos despite three recent deaths from territorial conflicts and predation. Survey teams searched the enclosures extensively, including dense grasslands and marshes, working in six hourly shifts each day atop camp elephants.
The reserve’s rhino reintroduction programme began in 1984 with seven founder rhinos from Assam and Nepal, and the population has grown more than seven-fold since.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Ankit Srivastava
Leave a Reply