Assam has lost as many as 1,008 one-horned rhinos since 2002 till December 14, 2012.

Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanti Natrajan on Tuesday informed the Parliament that the rhinoceroses were either killed by poachers or died of natural causes. The incidents of poaching took place inspite of the fact that New Delhi provides a huge financial assistance to the Assam Government for the preservation and protection of the one-horned rhinos.