Sad news for the world coming out of Africa - The western black rhino, which is a sub-species of black rhino, was once widespread in the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa, but is no more.
The last such rhino was actually spotted in 2006. But after years without any new sightings, it was officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), who maintains the famous Red List of Threatened Species.
According to Simon Stuart, chair of the IUCN species survival commission, "In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented. These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction."
The IUCN also warns that other rhinos could succumb to extinction such as Africa's northern white rhino is which is "teetering on the brink of extinction". Asia's Javan rhino is also "making its last stand" due to continued poaching and lack of conservation.
Conservation efforts have proven to be effective in the case of the southern white rhino in Africa. They went from less than 100 individuals at the end of the 1800s to around 20,000 individuals in the wild today.
Watch the video below about the charging behavior of some white and black rhinos. The western black rhino is not shown in this clip however.
The last such rhino was actually spotted in 2006. But after years without any new sightings, it was officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), who maintains the famous Red List of Threatened Species.
According to Simon Stuart, chair of the IUCN species survival commission, "In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented. These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction."
The IUCN also warns that other rhinos could succumb to extinction such as Africa's northern white rhino is which is "teetering on the brink of extinction". Asia's Javan rhino is also "making its last stand" due to continued poaching and lack of conservation.
Conservation efforts have proven to be effective in the case of the southern white rhino in Africa. They went from less than 100 individuals at the end of the 1800s to around 20,000 individuals in the wild today.
Watch the video below about the charging behavior of some white and black rhinos. The western black rhino is not shown in this clip however.
VERY SAD. I wish the world would and could do more to educate the African people , get them away from their beliefs that the horn holds medicine.
I have heard that horses' hooves, & therefore our nail clippings, are made from the same substance as Rhino horn. If true, wouldn't that be a good substitute, & the Africans & Chinese could get their so called medicine & aphrodisiacs that way. Tanya Ashken
The last thing we need are poachers going after horses because they think hooves could be used medicinally. No hoof... no horse...
(my reponse to the anonymous post)
It is sadly true that the last Western Black Rhinoceros was seen in 2006 in Cameroon and is now declared exctinct, due to poaching. However this page is misleading by date omission. It reads like news, November 15, 2013. It was officially declared extinct by the IUCN on November 10 *2011*. Nowadays, it is other species and subspecies of rhinceroses that are on the brink of exctinction. Nothing but total war and extermination of poachers and horn traffickers will save them.
Erik Abranson
When will people learn we have to cherish each and every species of animal. What effects the animals, effect humans!
It is very sad to hear this news,and it boggles my mind to think that people the world over can be so greedy to put a spices to the brink of extiction.Wish something could be done to put poachers in the extinct catagory.
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.....LEAVE THEM ALONE... YOU BEAST...