Guwahati, May 4: A wildlife conservationist from Assam, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, has been appointed the vice-secretary of the Indonesian Rhino Task Force which has been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring conservation of the critically-endangered Javan and Sumatran rhino in Indonesia.

A release issued today by Aaranyak, a bio-diversity conservation society, stated that the feat of Talukdar, its secretary general, was a rare honour for an Assamese conservationist. “He has worked for rhino conservation in Assam and his contributions are well-known. One hopes he does it for the Javan and Sumatran rhino too,” a state forest official said.

The Indonesian Rhino Task Force was reconstituted on March 29, 2010 vide letter number SK.51/IV-SET/2010, by M.M. Darori, the director-general of forestry protection and nature conservation within the ministry of forestry, Republic of Indonesia. Talukdar, who has emerged as one of potential global leaders in the conservation arena, has been inducted as the vice-secretary of the task force.

Talukdar is currently the chairman of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group within the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Asian Rhino Co-ordinator of the International Rhino Foundation. He is also a member of the National Board of Wildlife, the apex wildlife body of India.

The Rhino Task Force of Indonesia will be chaired by Harry Santoso, the director of bio-diversity, department of forestry, Indonesia. The officials of the ministry have informed Talukdar, who is now Indonesia, about this decision.