The recent reduction in Africa’s rhino poaching rates, from 3.9% in 2018 to 2.3% in 2021, has sparked interest in the state of rhinoceros conservation efforts on the continent. According to a study, between 2018 and 2021, at least 2,707 rhinos, including critically endangered black rhinos and near threatened white rhinos, were lost to poaching.
Unpacking the Report
The report, which revealed this decrease, was a collaborative effort between the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Species Survival Commission (SSC), African and Asian Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG) and TRAFFIC. The AfRSG gathered data from thirteen nations where rhinos are found, namely Botswana, Chad, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Insights from the Report
The decline in African rhinoceros poaching rates, from a peak of 5.3% of the total population in 2015 to 2.3% in 2021, is one of the report’s key findings. Ninety percent of all reported cases came from South Africa, primarily affecting white rhinos in Kruger National Park. South Africa reported a loss of 394 rhinos to poaching in 2020, whereas Kenya reported no poaching incidents within the same year.
Rhinos in Africa experienced a slight population increase by the end of 2021, with an approximate 22,137 in total. However, there has been a surge in poaching on private properties, with 451 rhinos poached in South Africa in 2021; 327 within government reserves and 124 on private properties.
Understanding the Black and White Rhino
The African continent is home to two species of rhinos – the black rhino and the white rhino. The smaller of the two, the black rhino, possesses a hooked upper lip and is more inclined to browse rather than graze. With their scientific name Diceros bicornis, black rhinos typically inhabit semi-desert savannah, woodlands, and wetlands.
In contrast, white rhinos, scientifically known as Ceratotherium simum, are the second-largest land mammal, with a square lip distinguishing them from their black counterparts. They exist in two genetically different subspecies, found in various regions across Africa and mainly roam in long and short grass savanna grasslands.
Other notable Species of Rhinos
Apart from the African rhinos, there exist other species like the Greater One-Horned Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), found mainly in tropical grassland, shrublands, and savanna areas in India and Nepal, and the Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus), both found primarily in tropical and subtropical forests in Sumatra, Sabah.
Impact on Civil Services Examination
Understanding of these facts about rhinos is not only crucial for their conservation but also significant for candidates appearing for the Civil Services Examination. Knowledge of the natural habitat and distribution of these various rhino species would be beneficial in answering questions related to biodiversity and ecology. For instance, in the 2019 Civil Services Exam, a question regarding the natural habitats of Asiatic lions and one-horned rhinoceros was posed, requiring an understanding of the geographic distribution of these species.