MP CM Mohan Yadav praises Kaziranga’s conservation model, explores collaboration with Assam

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday, October 5, visited the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, where he lauded the park’s successful conservation efforts and expressed interest in potential collaboration with the Assam government.

During his visit, Yadav took a jeep safari through the park’s central range and praised Kaziranga’s thriving wildlife population. “Kaziranga is very rich, especially in terms of rhinos. There are more than 3,000 rhinos here,” he told reporters after the safari.

Highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s own strides in wildlife conservation, Yadav said the state has relocated more than 70 elephants to Bandhavgarh and other sanctuaries over the past two years. “Elephants have now arrived in Madhya Pradesh as well. Previously, there were no elephants. For the past two years, over 70 elephants have been relocated to Bandhavgarh and other sanctuaries. The management here is excellent. We will learn many things from here,” he said.

The chief minister added that he intends to discuss possible wildlife exchange and conservation partnerships with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. “We will also bring some of our wildlife here. I will speak to the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, regarding this,” Yadav said.

Officials said Yadav also inquired about Kaziranga’s conservation methods, especially those involving rhino and elephant management, and appreciated the park’s focus on coexistence between humans and wildlife. Madhya Pradesh has recently approved a Rs 47.11 crore project to address human-elephant conflicts and promote habitat protection.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday that the Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) — a large wading bird from the stork family — has returned to Kaziranga after a four-year absence.

In a post on X, Sarma wrote, “Kaziranga welcomes an old guest after 4 years. The elegant migratory Painted Storks have made a comeback to Kaziranga’s skies, soaring once again over our wetlands — a proof that nature heals when we protect it. Another win for our conservation efforts.”

Classified as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Painted Stork’s return is being seen as a positive indicator of the park’s improving wetland ecosystem.

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses and remains one of India’s leading examples of successful wildlife conservation.