Last week, when our scheduled speaker canceled, Frank Verney, our resident zoo expert, delivered an insightful talk on the global decline of rhinoceros populations.
Rhinoceroses, the second-largest land mammals, are vital keystone species, playing a critical role in their ecosystems. At the start of the 20th century, around 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia, shaping savannahs and forests. By 1970, their numbers had plummeted to 70,000, and today, only about 28,000 remain. The five rhino species include the Javan rhino (50 individuals), Sumatran rhino (34–47), Black rhino (6,788), Greater one-horned rhino (4,075), and White rhino (15,752).
Poaching is the primary driver of this decline, with 9,396 rhinos killed in Africa over the past decade, fueled by demand for rhino horns in Asian countries like China and Vietnam for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Political instability and war exacerbate the issue, enabling poachers to collaborate with criminal networks for profit. Habitat loss due to human development further threatens rhino populations.
Efforts to save rhinos include Advanced Reproductive Technologies (ARTs), notably for the Northern white rhino, a subspecies now down to just two individuals. Scientists from San Diego Zoo Global and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research are working to create embryos via in vitro fertilization (IVF) using cells from living rhinos. However, the International Rhino Foundation and Save the Rhino International note that, despite over 15 years of research, artificial insemination has resulted in fewer than 10 live rhino births, and fewer than 20 embryos have been created. IVF has yet to succeed for any rhino species, and the technology may not advance in time to save the Northern white rhino.
The Save Rhino Foundation is focusing on practical solutions, such as equipping rangers and expanding canine units to detect smuggled wildlife products, track poachers, and make arrests.
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