Reinventing the Rhino

 

The number of rhinos in the world has dropped dramatically and rapidly, which makes recovering the species an extremely difficult challenge for Zoos, researchers, and organizations concerned with the matter.
 

All five species of rhinos in the world total a meager 25,000 individuals. Of these five species, the white rhino and black rhino are only found in Africa.

Just one century ago, the white rhino was arguably the most endangered of the five rhino species, having been reduced to only a handful of animals. Its numbers have since rebounded to nearly 17,000, thanks to conservation efforts both in captivity and in the wild. Now, the species is no longer considered endangered.

Both white and black rhinos are victims of illegal hunting, which is done to obtain their horns for medicinal and ceremonial reasons. Sadly, the black rhino has been seriously reduced in numbers to only a few thousand individuals in Africa.

In an effort to improve the critical situation facing Africa's black rhino, the Houston Zoo has joined with the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) to support the return of this species to Botswana. The long-term goal is to translocate animals to protected areas in the Okavango Delta and the Mashatu Game Reserve, as well as support Rhino Protection Units in Zimbabwe.