SOUTH AFRICA - 2014/06/04: White rhinoceros or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) female with 6 months old baby in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

452249978

SOUTH AFRICA - 2014/06/04: White rhinoceros or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) female with 6 months old baby in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Photo by: Wolfgang Kaehler

Wolfgang Kaehler

How to Help Save the World’s Endangered Rhinos

By: Lucy Sherriff

World Rhino Day, on September 22, aims to celebrate the black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos, and all the subspecies in-between.

September 17, 2020

These five species of rhino are all under threat, thanks to illegal poaching for their horns, as well as habitat loss.

Two genetically different subspecies of the white rhino exist, the northern and southern white rhino, which are found in different regions in Africa. On March 21, 2018, the planet’s last male northern rhino died, and now conservationists are coming up with audacious plans to try and mate the remaining two females.

As for the other species, there are 72 Javan rhinos, less than 80 Sumatrans, and just over 5,000 black rhinos, with all three populations ranked as critically endangered. The greater one-horned rhino has around 3,500 individuals left, and is classed as vulnerable, while the white rhino has between 17,000 and 18,900 animals left.

The southern white rhino is, unlike the other species, a rare conservation success story.

In the late 19th century, they were believed to be extinct until a population of less than 100 of the animals was discovered in South Africa. Conservation efforts to grow the species included relocations to national parks, breeding programs, and careful management and observation of the existing individuals.

World Rhino Day was first announced a decade ago by WWF South Africa and hopes to encourage the public to get involved in trying to save the populations.

Next Up

The Highest Animal on the Food Chain: Megalodon Sharks

The now-extinct megalodon and its ancestors may have been "hyper apex predators," higher up on the food chain than any ocean animal ever known.

Baby Bear Takes a Trip on Hallucinogenic ‘Mad Honey’

A bear cub was rescued in Turkey after passing out from eating too much hallucinogenic honey.

Great Migrations

Brrrrr it’s getting cold out, the days are shorter and soon it’ll be winter! Fall means that more than 4 billion birds will stream overhead on their fall migration to warmer grounds down south, where they will feed and mate.

Supertrees That Suck Up More Carbon Could Be Forest Climate Fix

Forestation and tree growth are perhaps the most powerful tool for reducing levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere and tackling climate change. Now genetically modified (GM) ‘supertrees’ that grow faster and rapidly take up CO2 could be used to address the climate crisis.

Is Climate Change Killing More Elephants than Poachers?

Kenya’s Wildlife and Tourism Board has announced that climate change is now a bigger threat to elephant populations than poaching. Kenya is currently facing an extreme drought that is threatening the livelihoods of people and wildlife within the area.

Bald Eagles Made a Comeback But Now They’re Under Threat Again

The resurgence of bald eagles in American skies has been touted as one of the biggest conservation successes in the country – but now scientists say the birds are being poisoned by lead.

Polar Researchers Discover World’s Largest Fish Breeding Colony

Scientists aboard the German research vessel Polarstern have found the world’s largest fish breeding ground containing around 60 million nests.

Do Dolphins Have a New Skin Care Routine?

A new study on Indo-Pacific bottle-nosed dolphins reveals that pods might rub themselves on coral as a way to keep their skin healthy.

99% of Sea Turtles are Now Born Female. Here's Why.

Global warming is creating a crisis in sea turtles' gender ratios, where 99% of them are being born female. Sea turtle populations have been facing a significant population decline further exasperated by climate change.

Coral Reef Survival Relies on Gene Science and Lower Emissions

Coral reefs across the world are under threat as global warming raises sea temperatures and the oceans become more acidic from absorbing carbon dioxide. While nations work to reduce industrial greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, helping coral to adapt to changing conditions could provide welcome relief for affected reefs.

Related To: