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Rhino populations increase while poaching threats persist due to high demand for horns | Wildlife News


The African rhino population saw a slight increase in 2023, but so did the number of animals killed by poachers. According to a report by the International Rhino Foundation, the white rhino population increased by 1,522 to 17,464 in 2023, while the number of black and greater one-horned rhinos stayed the same. The global rhino population of the five subspecies stands at around 28,000, down significantly from the 500,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

In Africa, one rhino was killed every 15 hours in 2023, with a total of 586 rhinos killed across the continent, mostly in South Africa. Despite the poaching, the white rhino population in South Africa is on the rise, thanks to preservation efforts. However, the black rhino population declined slightly due to heavy poaching in Namibia and South Africa.

In Indonesia, authorities have been cracking down on Javan rhino poaching groups, while in India, the one-horned Asian rhino population has risen from 1,500 to over 4,000 in the past four decades, thanks to conservation efforts. Poaching remains the top threat to rhinos, driven by the belief in the medicinal uses of their horns.

Philip Muruthi, the vice president for species conservation at the Africa Wildlife Foundation, emphasizes the importance of protection in increasing rhino populations. He advocates for campaigns to end the demand for rhino horns, the use of technology for tracking and monitoring rhinos, and educating communities on the benefits of rhinos to the ecosystem and economy.

Rhinos play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystems by mowing parks, creating inroads for other herbivores, and establishing forests through seed dispersal in their dung. Protecting these iconic animals is essential for the health of ecosystems and the survival of rhino species worldwide.

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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com

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