Rhinos have existed for over
50 million years. In the past, at one time there were 30 species of rhinos,
including the largest land mammal that ever lived. Rhinos were also common
in North America.
Rhinos belong to the same group of animals as horses; both are
"odd-toed ungulates", or Perissodactyla.
Sumatran Rhino
Rhinos have three toes,
which leave distinctive tracks. They have thick skin which forms inflexible
plates over the shoulders, haunches, sides, forehead and cheeks. Rhinos are
surprisingly agile, despite their bulky appearance. They have poor eyesight,
but exceptional hearing and an acute sense of smell.
White
Rhino
NATURE
" Rhinoceros " | Preview | PBS
Today, 5 species
of rhino survive-White Rhino, African Black Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, Indian/Nepalese
Rhino and Javan Rhino but all are on the verge of extinction,
a crisis of catastrophic proportions for such a venerable group of animals.
The black rhino has suffered the most spectacular rate of decline of all
rhino species in the last 10 to 15 years with populations reduced 85%.
The rhino is being exterminated by poachers who sell the horn for medicinal
or ornamental purposes in Asia and the Middle East. In Yemen rhino horn is carved into traditional dagger handles, which is
worn by men as a sign of wealth. Without drastic action, four species of rhino could be extinct in the
wild within the next 10 years.
Species or
Subspecies
Wild Population February 2005 Estimate*
North American SSP Captive Population July 2002
Global Captive Population February 2005 Estimate*
Southwestern
Black Rhino
~ 1310
0
0
Northwestern
Black Rhino
~ 5+?
0
0
Eastern Black
Rhino
~ 520
68
175
Southern
Black Rhino
~1,770
45
75
TOTAL BLACK
RHINO
~ 3,610
113
250
Northern
White Rhino
>10
3
10
Southern
White Rhino
~11,320
159
740
TOTAL WHITE
RHINO
~11,330
162
~750
AFRICAN RHINO
SPECIES
~14,940
275
~ 1000
INDIAN/NEPALESE
RHINO
~ 2,500
54
~150
Indonesian
Javan Rhino
50-60
0
0
Vietnamese
Javan Rhino
2-7
0
0
TOTAL JAVAN
RHINO
~ 60
0
0
Borneo
Sumatran Rhino
~50
0
2
Malaya/Sumatra
Sumatran Rhino
~ 250
4
7
TOTAL
SUMATRAN RHINO
~ 300
4
9
ASIAN RHINO
SPECIES
~ 2,860
57
160
ALL SPECIES
~
17,800
~330
~
1,160
Credit:International
Rhino Foundation
Of these rhinos, over
half are of a single species - the white rhino.
Black
Rhino
Poachers in Africa have
been known to tap power lines and electrocute rhinos just so they can saw
off the animals' horns. That's just one more instance of the immeasurable
cruelty humans are capable of showing animals
"War in Africa
often puts a lot of hungry troops in areas where there isn't much food, in
which case if they eat wild flesh they are going to really devastate the
area," Jane Goodall, a leading naturalist and author renowned for her
studies on wild chimpanzees. Africa's wars have displaced millions of
people, creating waves of malnourished refugees who often have little choice
but to kill wild animals for food. Valuable habitat has been destroyed by
battles while in some countries elephants and rhinos have been
ruthlessly hunted for their ivory and horns to fund both government and
rebel war efforts
Become
a member of the International Rhino Foundation in its efforts to help the rhino
