Black rhino extinction may sound unreal but it is the harsh truth.
Black rhinoceros declined dramatically at the hands of poaching and black market trafficking of rhino horn.
Horns are in high demand due to silly superstition that they serve as some sort of medicine not even proved or sometimes for ornamental purposes.
Poachers are frequently able to march to rhinos, shoot them, and chop their horns off. The horns are deemed illegal merchandise.
Rhinos play an important role in the propagation of the vegetation by eating the seeds and distributing them elsewhere through their fecal matter. In Africa, rhinoceroses are what is called keystone species, they are crucial for the upholding of the ecosystem.
Article by Rachel Dolle.
Journalism Student, King’s College London (KCL)
Praw is the mascot of Passions,
Praw is the mascot of Let’s Prowess.
19th February 2021
“Animals should no require our permission to live on Earth. Animals were given the right to be here long before we arrived.”
Hello everyone, I have to admit that this article made me feel so sad.
Firstly, I write a little introduction history of this fascinating and massive animal, which I found so interesting. Secondly, I add cute and exciting videos, and write more curiosities, facts and information about why black rhinos are critically endangered animal.
Let’s go back in time 50 million years, long before modern humans appeared. Rhinos have braved ice ages, prehistoric hyenas and giant crocodiles.
Their story begins soon after the extinction of the dinosaurs, a time when most of what is now Asia, Europe and North America was covered in dense forest.
The first rhinos emerged had no horn and they were the largest animal with a much longer neck to help rhino to reach for leaves on tall trees.
Nobody is quite sure where the evolution of rhinos come from, what it is clear is that the early perissodactyls were the ancestors of rhinos, as well as all modern horses, zebras and tapirs.
As I mention, the early rhinos were quite different to today rhinos. They had no horns and looked rather like pigs or hippos and spent a lot of time in water. Rhinos had to make the most of food at the tops of trees and despite being so large, they were no safe from predators.
They were eventually hunted by gigantic crocodiles. Today, there are no large rhinos. It is not clear why they disappeared, probably by a new evolved rival: elephants.
From 23 million years ago, Earth began a new period and the planet cooled by as much as 4 °C. The new evolved rhinos had two horns, but the curious fact not one in front of the other. Instead, they were beside each other on the nose.
As global temperatures continued to cool over the next few million years, the rhinoceros evolved into Elasmotherium smaller than previous and the most striking feature was its evolved huge horn, much bigger than today rhinos. It was enormous, it may have been more than 1m long.
It lasted period from 5 million years ago until 2.5 million years ago. At this time most of the world was relatively ice-free. But, in Tibet, where these animales used to be, was already iced up and it was where the woolly rhinos quite recognisable to us, evolved and dispersed to the west.
This is a little introduction about the evolution of rhinos, still there is so much to be told but I can not extend more.
By 1970, rhinoceros numbers dropped to 70.000 and today, there are around 27.0000 rhinos remain in the wild. Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss.
All the diverse rhinos have been reduced today to just five species. They have all been heavily hunted, and poached for their horns, so none of them is in a good way. Black or White rhino are more endangered, and black rhino critically endangered.
Black rhino endangered information is thought to be seven subspecies, of which three are already extinct and another is nearly gone. Nations are working together to protect conservation sites and, crucially, to stop the illegal trade in rhino horns.
There are rich people in some countries of Asia, who believe that rhino horn has all sorts of mystical powers and along with bull penis are the ultimate aphrodisiac.
The horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and it is said by herbalists to be able to revive comatose patients, facilitate exorcisms and various methods of detoxification.
Poaching for their horn is the single greatest cause of the eminent extinction, it is extremely difficult to conserve them and protect them from poaching.
The horn is also valued in North Africa and the Middle East as an ornamental dagger handle.
These ridiculous things are the reasons of poaching black rhino biggest threat. Today, it is known that there are just around 5000 black rhinos worldwide.
Here I add a few videos, which I found exciting and cute. And after, I write some top facts and curiosities about this magnificent and powerful animal.
Do rhinos kill other animals?
Rhinos are no natural predators but they are very aggressive if they feel in danger.
Rhinos are cute
Do rhinos attack humans?
Black rhinos especially are very nervous in temperament and can be very aggressive and react by attacking the threat.
Top interesting rhino facts and curiosities
- Females use their horns to protect their young, while males use them to battle attackers.
- Rhino horns grow as much as three inches a year, and have been known to grow up to five feet long.
- Rhinos have poor vision.
- Rhinos have sharp hearing and a keen sense of smell.
- They communicate through honks, sneezes and poo.
- Rhinoceros are a herbivorous browser that eats leafy plants, branches, shoots and fruit.
- Rhinos are solitary and they are not very territorial.
- The longest known black rhinoceros horn measured nearly 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length. Sometimes, a third, smaller horn may develop.
- Rhinos feed at night and during the gloaming hours of dawn and dusk.
- They often find a suitable water hole and roll in its mud, coating their skin with a natural bug repellent and sun block.
- They are able to reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
- Females reproduce only every two and a half to five years.
- If the horn rhino breaks off, the rhino can grow a new one. This is just for rhinos, it does no work in humans because some mad humans may think the horn properties can regenerate a new human arm or leg.
- An adult skin rhino can be as much as 5 cm (2 inches) thick.
- Rhinoceros, the name, comes from the Ancient Greek, meaning “horn nose”.
Some questions about black rhino endangered
1- Where is the most black rhino endangered?
Black rhino endangered is critically in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Kenya.
2- Does rhino horn actually cure anything?
Rhino horn is made from keratin, a protein found in fingernails and hair. There are no proven medicinal benefits in humans from either product.
3- What will happen if the black rhino goes extinct?
If the entire population disappears from the globe, the result could be catastrophe for African savanna. They are considered as a keystone species and play a pivotal role in ecosystems.
4- Why do people poach?
Poachers target horns.
5- Why are black rhinos endangered?
Main reason: poaching.
Other questions
1- How long do black rhinos live?
35 – 50 years.
2- Is a rhino a dinosaur?
No, rhino is not a dinosaur. Rhino is a placental mammal.
3- What do black rhinos need to eat?
Black rhinos are browsers that get most of their sustenance from eating trees and bushes.
4- What is the best place to see rhinos in Africa?
Here you have the 10 best places to see rhinos on safari in Africa.
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