World Rhino Day: September 22

At the turn of the 19th century, there were approximately 1,000,000 rhinos on Earth. By 1970, that number had dwindled to around 70,000. Today, only about 28,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Of the five rhino species, three are critically endangered. The Southern White Rhino is classified as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the larger one-horned rhino is considered "vulnerable," with the risk of extinction in the wild being very high.

Rhinos have been an important part of ecosystems for millions of years.

The drastic decline in their population has primarily been caused by humans. Additionally, illegal logging and pollution are also destroying their habitats.

Poachers receive huge amounts of money for rhinos, which are mostly killed for their horns, used in traditional Chinese medicine.

It is important to remember that rhinos are an umbrella species:

This means that when protecting and managing rhino populations, scientists consider all the other species that interact with rhinos and share the same habitats. Therefore, protecting rhinos also helps many other species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and plants.

Protecting and managing rhino populations is a real challenge, requiring a great deal of energy and money. Rhino range countries need financial support and must benefit from shared expertise and exchange of ideas.

Sadly, many people are still unaware that rhinos are critically endangered:

And if people don't know about these amazing animals and the challenges they face, how can we expect them to take action to help save rhinos?

This is why continuous research, monitoring, and awareness-raising actions that encourage donations are essential.

If anyone would like to participate in the conservation and support of endangered species, please visit the following websites:

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
www.durrell.org 

Save The Rhino Foundation
www.savetherhino.org