"Rhinos are the one of the oldest group of mammals, virtually living fossil fuels. They play an important role in their habitats and rhinos are an important source of income in ecotourism".
Rhino horns are valuable in some east Asian countries. There is a belief that the horn possesses medicinal properties. These beliefs however, hold no scientific weight.
The growing demand from the Asian market is the main threat to all Rhino species. While the southern Rhinos is not endangered because of successful conservation efforts.
Illegal wildlife trade
International trade in Rhino has been banned under the convention on international trade in endangered species of Fauna & Flora (CITES). A global agreement between governments to follow rules to monitor, regulate or ban international trade in species under threat - since 1977, demand remain high and fuels rhino poaching in both africa and asia.
Criminal syndicates link the killing fields in the country like south africa through a series of transit points and smuggling channels to the final destination in Asia.
The main markets are now in countries like vietnam and china where Rhino has become a party drug, a health supplement and a hangover cure. In, vietnam there is also a newly emerged belief that Rhino horn cures cancer.
Habitat loss
As economic development, logging, agricultural degrade and destroy wildlife habitats, Rhino populations are declining.
Those remaining Rhinos live in fragmented, isolated areas and are prone to inbreeding, as healthy genetic mixing is more difficult among smaller groups.
Disease can also spread rapidly through these highly- concentrated populations. The increase in human population also puts pressure on Rhino habitats as well, shrinking the living space for Rhinos and increasing the livelihood of contact with humans - often with fatal results.
" The recovery of the greater one horned Rhino is among the greatest conservation success stories in Asia. However, the species remarkable recovery has been constrained by a lack of adequate habitat".
"Currently, 85% of all greater one-horned Rhinos are concentrated in just two locations in India and Nepal".
Measures for protection
To ensure protection, establishment of new population by translocating Rhino to protected areas with suitable habitat within the species historic range. Translocating will also allow to expand into new territories and will also decrease densities, leading to increased breeding rates.
Systematic monitoring programs to measure the health and status of resident and newly translocated Rhinos and supporting effective anti-poaching measures.
Does goodbye to the last male northern white rhinoceros mean the end of the species?
And now the last male has died. So, what does that mean for the future of the northern white rhino? Well, it's not looking good, but all is not lost. While neither Najin nor Fatu has been deemed able to carry a baby to term, over the years, sperm has been banked from northern white rhino males not related to either female.
Scientists are hoping to use in vitro fertilization to fertilize the eggs of the two females and implant them into southern white rhino female surrogates. Although in vitro fertilization is commonly successful in humans and cows, it hasn't yet succeeded with a rhino.
It will obviously require heroic, and perhaps ultimately fruitless, efforts to save the northern white rhino, but maybe the endeavor will lead to breakthroughs that will save even a few of the thousands of species currently facing extinction.
It will obviously require heroic, and perhaps ultimately fruitless, efforts to save the northern white rhino, but maybe the endeavor will lead to breakthroughs that will save even a few of the thousands of species currently facing extinction.
Some white- Rhino facts
- Square lipped
- They are the largest five- Rhino species.
- Their distinctive feauture are a hump on the back, a square broad lip used for grazing & three toes of each foot.
- They can grow upto 4 meters long and upto 1.5 meter in length. Their weight typically ranges between 1.3 - 3.6 tones for adults.
- They have two horns made of keratin ( the same as in the human teeth) with the front horn reaching an average of 90 cm in length.
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