Indian Viewers Explore the Origin of the One-Horned Rhinoceros

Janson Media today announced that it has licensed the 60-minute HDTV special, Assam India: Quest for the One Horned Rhinoceros to Discovery Communications. The 6th installment in the Richard Bangs' Adventures with Purposeseries, Quest for the One-Horned Rhinoceros is to be aired in Assam's host country of India.

In Assam India: Quest for the One-Horned Rhinoceros, Richard Bangs is traveling in a remote state on the northeastern cusp of India called "Assam." It"s a throne-room of rushing rivers, raving monsoons and the most soothing of tea. But perhaps most thrilling of all, Assam is home to a staggering range of wildlife. One animal, the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, stands as a special symbol to the people here. Richard is off to find what the one-horned rhino means to the people of Assam, and why it flourishes here as in no other place.

For many Westerners, India conjures images of frenetic cities, filled with economic extremes...Or daunting hikes up Himalayan slopes. But our focus this trip is different. The quiet state of Assam floats like a kite off the shoulder of mainland India. It"s a place of deep, rich culture, and conservation work that"s been remarkably successful.

Rhinos once roamed the earth. Not long ago, Africa teemed with them, too many to count. But today that continent is almost empty of the tank-like beasts. While in Assam there are still tracks where thousands roam. What went right in Assam? What threats still exist, and what help is still needed? What can we learn?

Ultimately Richard concludes that Assam"s record is enviable, but going forward more help will be needed. New visionaries, like Richard"s guide Avinash Kohli, are stepping up to encourage visitors to come to Assam, to experience the wonder of these magnificent animals in this wild place, and to be part of a movement that sustains rhino footsteps far into the future.

Richard Bangsis a world adventurer, international river explorer, Web pioneer and award winning author. He is also a founding partner of Mountain Travel Sobek, America"s oldest and largest adventure travel firm. In addition to his Adventures with Purpose series, Bangs has produced web-based projects such as Great Escapes, Well-Traveled and Terraquest.

Discovery Communications is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching nearly 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services.