Indian wildlife sanctuary sees jump in one-horned rhinos

GAUHATI, India — A tiny wildlife sanctuary in northeastern India has reported a jump in the number of one-horned rhinoceroses.

Pradipta Baruah, supervisor of a census carried out Sunday at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, says there are now 102 one-horned rhinos living in the park, up from 93 during the last count, in 2012.

The reserve, which is just 38 square kilometers (15 square miles), is outside of the Assam state capital, Gauhati.

India’s Kaziranga National Park, also in Assam, is the main home of the one-horned rhino, with more than 2,000.

All of the world’s five rhino species are under constant threat from poachers who sell their horns on black markets, often in countries where rhino horn is believed to increase male potency.