The growing popularity of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary among nature lovers is demonstrated by the notable increase in both tourist arrivals and revenue during the 2024–2025 season in Assam’s Morigaon district. With around 35,000 visitors this season, including 650 from abroad, the sanctuary—which is renowned for having the highest density of one-horned rhinoceroses in India—has brought in Rs 62 lakh in revenue. The current season, which runs from October 15, 2024, to May 31, has generated almost 5,000 more visitors and Rs 8 lakh more revenue than the previous year.
Officials credit this rise to better sanctuary infrastructure, such as interior road upgrades that improved the experience of visitors. While Pobitora is known for its rhino population, other important issues are the focus of conservation efforts in Assam. Aaranyak, a well-known conservation NGO, is spearheading a massive plantation initiative in the Udalguri district to address the escalating problem of conflict between humans and elephants.
The project intends to rehabilitate 100 hectares of damaged forest in Bhairabkunda Reserve Forest along the Indo-Bhutan border with assistance from the SBI Foundation and collaboration with the Dhansiri-Sikaridanga Joint Forest Management Committee. The plantation effort is currently in its third year and is sponsored by community committees, local NGOs, and forest officials. 510 seedlings from 11 native species were planted on its most recent day of operations, bolstering initiatives to establish sustainable ecosystems and encourage wildlife and human cohabitation.
