Guwahati, May 28: Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam’s Morigaon district has registered a surge in tourist footfall during the ongoing 2024–25 tourist season, attracting nearly 35,000 visitors and generating ₹62 lakh in revenue so far.

Ranger Pranjal Baruah informed that the sanctuary, known for having the highest density of one-horned rhinoceroses in the country, received 5,000 more tourists compared to last season. Among the visitors, 650 were foreign nationals.

The tourist season began on October 15, 2024, and will continue until May 31, 2025. Last year, the sanctuary recorded 30,000 visitors and collected ₹54 lakh in revenue.

Baruah attributed the rise to improved infrastructure within the sanctuary, including the repair of internal roads, which enhanced the overall visitor experience.

Meanwhile, in a separate conservation effort, wildlife NGO Aaranyak, with support from the SBI Foundation, is conducting a large-scale plantation drive in Bhairabkunda Reserve Forest in Assam’s Udalguri district. The initiative, now in its third year, aims to restore 100 hectares of degraded forest to mitigate human-elephant conflict.

On the first day of the drive’s third phase, 510 saplings of 11 native species—including Amla, Jamun, Bel, and Outenga—were planted with the participation of forest officials, FXB India Suraksha, and local community members.