Rhinos of the world

The white rhino population has decreased by 23% from 2012-2021 due to increased poaching but is steadily increasing in several areas at an estimated growth rate of 5% per year (by 2021). However, habitat loss and conservation efforts can impact the growth rate, and poaching still poses a significant threat. Poaching peaked in 2014 but has reduced due to law enforcement and protection efforts. Without consistent conservation measures, the population could decline significantly.

The hook-lipped rhino is renowned for its daring and aggressive personality as it charges bravely toward danger. These magnificent creatures are a wonderful marvel of nature, with two horns made of keratin, the same substance that makes up our hair and nails. Interestingly, over one-third of black rhinos in Africa are located on private lands; this is particularly important in areas where government conservation initiatives may be limited due to funding constraints or lack of resources.

The greater one-horned rhino was once on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and hunting, with only a few dozen individuals left in the early 1900s. However, due to conservation efforts, their populations have rebounded, with over 3,500 individuals now estimated to be living in the wild. But, the species is already at risk due to the fact that Kaziranga National Park is home to over 2,400 of its members. Poaching and human-wildlife conflicts make the situation worse! The positive news is the Greater one-horned rhino is currently found in 8 protected areas in India and 4 protected areas in Nepal. Indian rhinos from Gorumara National Park often wander into adjacent forests, while Nepalese rhinos frequently venture into neighboring areas of India. It allows for genetic diversity to be maintained across different populations, which is important for the long-term survival of the species. Additionally, the fact that rhinoceros from one protected area frequently visit adjoining areas means that conservation efforts in one area can potentially benefit other areas as well.

One of the most ancient species of rhinoceroses still living today, with a lineage that can be traced back over 20 million years. Their small size, body shape, and structure are reminiscent of ancient rhinoceroses. Additionally, the species has two horns, a characteristic present in the earliest known rhinoceros fossils. They once roamed territories spanning from the foothills of the Himalayas in Bhutan and north-eastern India, through southern China (Yunnan), Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Viet Nam and the Malay Peninsula to Indonesia. In a groundbreaking genetic study, researchers have discovered that the Sumatran rhinoceros is not just any ordinary rhino – it’s an ancient and distinct lineage that diverged from other rhino species over 15 million years ago. This makes the Sumatran rhino a true living treasure. This genetic distinctiveness has important implications for conservation efforts, as it suggests that they may have unique adaptations and biological needs that are different from those of other rhinoceros species, which means that conservation efforts need to be tailored specifically to this species. Today present, in the small pockets of Indonesian islands, their population is getting much fragmented and isolated. This results in inbreeding and fewer birth rates, pushing them to the edge of extinction, with less than 50 individuals remaining in the wild. It is a race against time to save these magnificent creatures and ensure their survival for generations to come. We must act now, before it’s too late.

Javan rhinos are critically endangered, and one of the rarest large mammals on earth, with only about 70 individuals left in the wild are endemic to the Indonesian island of Java, making them unique and important for conservation. Its subspecies, the Indian Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus inermis) and the Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus), were primarily hunted to extinction for their horns. Their extinction has significantly impacted the genetic diversity of the Javan rhino species as a whole. Genetic diversity is important for the long-term survival of a species, as it helps them to adapt to changing environmental conditions and resist diseases. Due to Javan rhinos’ limited range, narrower gene pool, and low numbers, a single catastrophic event, such as disease outbreak, could potentially wipe out the remaining population. The extinction of the Javan rhino would mark the disappearance of an entire branch of the rhinoceros evolutionary tree, which has been evolving for over 50 million years. It would be a great tragedy and a testament to human activity’s ongoing destruction of the natural world.