The threat of extinction is as clear as night and day for different animal species like the rhino driven by the effects of climate change. The Western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes), a subspecies of the Black Rhinoceros, was declared extinct in 2011, however, Rhinoceros numbers across the world increased slightly in 2023, but so too did the number of animals killed by poachers, according to a new report.
As the International Rhino Foundation marked World Rhino Day on the 22nd of September, the foundation released a report showing that the white rhino population increased by 1,522 to 17,464 in 2023, thanks to preservation efforts. However, the report further revealed that the number of black and greater one-horned rhinos stayed the same.
Due to the belief that rhino horns have medicinal uses, poaching remains the top threat despite other environmental threats like habitat loss due to development and climate change.
Philip Muruthi, the vice president for species conservation at the Africa Wildlife Foundation, said protection has played a big role in increasing the rhino population.
In Kenya, their numbers rose from 380 in 1986 to 1,000 last year, he said. “Why has that happened? Because the rhinos were brought into sanctuaries and were protected.”
Muruthi supports a campaign to eliminate the demand for rhino horns and promote the use of advanced technology to track and monitor rhinos for better protection. Additionally, he emphasizes educating local communities about rhinos’ ecological and economic benefits.
As megaherbivores, rhinos help maintain park ecosystems by grazing and creating pathways for other herbivores, while also aiding in forest regeneration by consuming seeds and dispersing them through their dung.
The importance of rhinos to the ecosystems can’t be overlooked hence a call for collective actions toward ensuring that this endangered species can be protected from poachers and preserved for future generations.
