Rhino why are they endangered

Rhinoceros are a critically endangered species with less than 30, rhino living in the wild today. At the start of the 20th century, there were over , Human activity has caused this dramatic decline in rhino numbers. Initially, numbers dropped due to hunting, but today the main threats to rhino are poaching and habitat loss. Poaching and illegal trade of rhino horn has increased sharply since and remains one of the major reasons rhino are still endangered today.

Poaching is big business, and well organised criminal gangs are now well-equipped to track and kill rhino. Political and economic instability within countries can increase the threat of poaching too. Rhino horns are used in traditional Asian medicine, particularly in Vietnam and China, though there is no scientific evidence that keratin found in the horn is beneficial as a remedy.

It is used as a status symbol and is said to be an aphrodisiac. Learn more about Rhino Poaching. Habitat loss is the other major threat to rhino populations. As more and more land is cleared for agriculture there is less available space for rhino to thrive in. Rhino need a large area in which to feed and roam. Protecting Rhino Habitats. There are five rhino species surviving today — Black, White, Greater One-Horned or Indian , Javan and Sumatran, and several sub-species within these groups.

Importantly, their geographic range has also increased, with successful reintroduction programmes repopulating areas that had previously seen native black rhinos.

Greater one-horned rhinos have made a startling comeback from the brink of extinction. By , fewer than individuals remained, but there are now more than 3, individuals, due to concerted conservation efforts in both India and Nepal; their remaining strongholds. Although poaching remains a high threat, particularly in Kaziranga National Park, a key area for the species, the need to expand their habitat to provide space for the growing population is a key priority.

The overwhelming rhino conservation success story is that of the Southern white rhino. The Northern white rhino, however, has only two females left, after the last male, Sudan, died in March Ordering for Christmas? Make sure Santa arrives in time! Check postage dates Dismiss. But today, very few rhinos survive outside protected areas. And all five species are threatened, primarily by poaching.

Physical description Rhinoceroses are universally recognized by their massive bodies, stumpy legs and either one or two dermal horns. In some species, the horns may be short or not obvious. They are renowned for having poor eyesight, but their senses of smell and hearing are well developed. The biggest of the five surviving species are Africa's white rhino and Asia's greater one-horned rhinos. These two species have also seen their numbers increase significantly in recent years due to successful conservation efforts.

The white rhino is now classified as near threatened, while the greater one-horned rhino has moved from endangered to vulnerable. However, they remain at real risk from poaching, which has seen a a dramatic increase since And this poses a major threat to the survival of all rhino species, particulalry Africa's endangered black rhino and Asia's critically endangered Javan and Sumatran rhinos. But there is hope. The white and greater one-horned rhinos were saved from extinction, and black rhino numbers have also increased, although they are still just a fraction of their number 50 years ago.

Powdered horn is used in traditional Asian medicine as a supposed cure for a range of illnesses — from hangovers to fevers and even cancer.