The rhinoceros is the third largest mammal in the world, after the hippopotamus and the elephant. It is a herbivorous animal that inhabits various areas of the African and Asian continent. Solitary in nature, it prefers to go out in search of its food at night to protect itself from the intense heat of the day. Currently, there are five species of rhinos that are among the animals in danger of extinction.
If you are interested in knowing why it is among the endangered species, don't miss this article on our site about the endangered rhinoceros. Keep reading!
Where do rhinos live?
The rhinoceros is one of the world's largest land mammals. There are five species that are distributed in different areas, so knowing them is crucial to knowing where rhinos live.
The black and white rhino live in Africa, while the Sumatra, that of India and that of Java are located in the Asian territory. As for their habitat, they prefer to live in areas with tall grasses or open areas. In either case, they require places with abundant water and richness in terms of plants and herbs.
The five varieties stand out for their territorial behavior, a situation that is accentuated by the threats they must face, because they have been displaced from their natural habitats. Because of this, their aggressiveness increases when they feel cornered in small places.
In addition to the areas mentioned, there are rhinos living in zoos, safaris or protected areas intended for the conservation of the species. However, the high costs involved in keeping these animals have reduced the number of specimens currently living in captivity.
Are rhinos endangered?
The five types of rhinos that exist have their own characteristics, although they share the fact that they are among the species threatened by human action. Otherwise, the species has no natural predators when it reaches adulthood. So yes, the rhino is endangered
Let's see the conservation status of the species below:
Indian Rhino
The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is the largest of the existing varieties of this mammal. It is found in Asia, where it occurs in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
This variety can measure up to four meters in length and weigh more than two tons. It feeds on grasses and is an excellent swimmer. Although there are many threats, the truth is that this species of rhinoceros is not considered in danger of extinction, as is the case with others, but rather the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hasclassified as vulnerable
White Rhino
The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is found in northern Congo and southern South Africa. It is characterized by having two keratin horns that grow periodically. This horn, however, is one of the main reasons that threaten its existence, since it is a part coveted by poachers.
As is the case with the previous species, the white rhino is not in danger of extinction, according to the IUCN, it is considered to beis near threatened.
Black Rhino
The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is native to Africa and is characterized by two horns, one larger than the other. In addition, Its upper lip is hooked, which allows it to feed on plants that are just sprouting.
This species of rhinoceros measures up to two meters in length and weighs around 1,800 kilograms. Unlike the previous types, the black rhinoceros is critically endangered due to indiscriminate hunting, habitat destruction and the spread of disease. Currently, as shown in the IUCN red list, different recovery and conservation measures are being carried out on the species.
Sumatran Rhino
The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the smallest rhinoceros species, weighing just 700 kilograms and measuring less than three meters in length. It is found in Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia.
Another outstanding characteristic of this species is that the males can become very aggressive when the female does not want to mate, which sometimes means death for her. Unfortunately, this fact added to the destruction of their habitats and the hunting of these animals, the Sumatran rhinoceros is in critical danger of extinction In fact, according to the IUCN, there are barely 200 copies left worldwide.
Java Rhino
The Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is found in Indonesia and China, where it prefers to live in swampy areas. It can be easily identified because its skin gives the impression that it is wearing armor It has solitary habits, except during mating times, and feeds on all kinds of herbs and plants. It can measure three meters in length and weigh up to 2,500 kilograms.
This species is also in critical danger of extinction, being the most vulnerable of all, since it is estimated thatThere are between 46 and 66 specimens left worldwide. The reasons that have led the Javan rhinoceros to almost extinction? Mainly human action. Currently, they are working on recovery and conservation plans for the species.
Why is the rhinoceros endangered?
As we have already mentioned, none of the rhino species have natural predators. Due to this, the elements that threaten them come from the action of the human being, either on the species itself or the habitat where it lives.
General threats to rhinos include:
- Reduction of its habitat due to human action. This is due to the expansion of urban areas with all that this implies, such as road construction, centers that provide basic services, etc.
- Civil conflicts Many areas of Africa, such as those inhabited by the Indian and black rhinos, are territory where war conflicts occur, so they are destroyed. In addition, rhino horns are used as weapons and, as a result of the violence, water and food sources are scarce.
- poaching remains the greatest threat to the future of the rhino. In the poorest towns, the traffic in rhino horn is very important, as it is used to make clothes and make medicines.
Today there are some actions in force with the aim of conserving these species. In the United Nations there is a committee made up of representatives from different countries for the protection of the rhinoceros. In addition, laws have been implemented that strictly punish those involved in poaching.
Why is the Javan rhinoceros endangered?
On the Red List, the Javan rhinoceros is classified as critically endangered, as we have already indicated, but what are their main threats? We detail them below:
- Hunt to get his horns.
- Due to the small existing population, any disease represents a considerable threat to the survival of the species.
- Although the data is not exact, it is suspected that there are no male individuals in the registered populations.
Threats of this kind could drive the Javan rhinoceros to extinction in just a few years.
Is the white rhinoceros endangered?
The white rhinoceros is one of the best known and is considered Near Threatened, so there are still many actions that can take for preservation.
Among its main threats are:
- Illegal hunting for horn trafficking, which has increased in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
- The civil conflicts that trigger fighting with firearms, which has led to its suspicion that it is extinct in the Congo.
These dangers could represent the extinction of the species in a very short time.
How many rhinos are left in the world?
According to the IUCN, the Indian rhinoceros is vulnerable and currently has a population of 2100 -2200 mature specimens, while the species of the black rhinoceros is critically endangered and has an estimated population of3 142 copies Next, the Javanese Rhinoceros is also Critically Endangered with an estimated 18 membersmature, being the most threatened. As for the white rhinoceros, it is the species classified as near threatened, it is estimated that there is a population of 10,080 specimensmature, which is in decline.
Finally, the Sumatran rhinoceros is considered extinct in the wild, since the last male specimen, called “Titan”, died in Malaysia in mid-2018. There are some specimens bred in captivity in different parts of the world, although it is suspected that the number does not exceed 30 individuals mature.
