John Abraham in Guwahati on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, Nov. 16: Let’s football, to let’s save the rhino.

North East United FC (NUFC) co-owner and actor John Abraham, who is also an animal rights activist, will take up the cause of the one-horned rhino, Assam’s state animal, whose survival has come under tremendous pressure from poachers of late.

Though the Rhinocerous unicornis did not find a place in the logo or the name of the Assam-based club in the cash-rich Hero Indian Super League, the unique mammal has found a place for itself in the heart of the Bollywood star. Named Rongmon, the one-horned rhino was the mascot of the 33rd National Games held here in February 2007 and stands tall at the gate of the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, where the ISL matches are under way, to tell its story in posterity.

Abraham’s declaration of intent today came not too long after another rhino fell to poachers’ bullets at Pobitora National Park in Morigaon district of central Assam on the outskirts of Guwahati yesterday.

“I am an animal rights activist and in the midst of making a documentary on tiger conservation. The threat to the existence of the one-horned rhino in Assam is a matter of concern. I have it in mind to do something to create awareness on rhino conservation, which we are going to start soon,” the football enthusiast said here today.

“We will try to launch a campaign during the remaining matches of the ISL. But I am not sure how much we will be able to do this time because only two weeks are left in the league. However, I assure you it will be part of our corporate social responsibility programme next year onwards,” John said.

He, however, did not elaborate on the nature of the campaign.

NUFC’s co-owner Shillong Lajong FC has also been part of the Save the Tiger campaign for the last two years.

Rhino conservationist Bibhab Talukdar welcomed the initiative.

“It’s very encouraging. I hope poachers and wildlife smugglers can be controlled by such campaigns,” he said. Poachers have so far gunned down 24 rhinos in Assam this year, of which Kaziranga accounted for 22. The current rhino population in Assam is 2,544.

Wildlife biologist Firoz Ahmed said: “It is great on the part of actor to initiate such a step. We welcome it and we are always ready to extend our co-operation.” “It is always better to have a celebrity like him associated with a cause like this because people pay more attention. I hope his efforts will bear fruit,” Ahmed, who is also a member of Union forest and environment ministry’s forest advisory committee, added.