The black rhino, which is considered critically endangered, in captivity. Photo by Rhett A Butler
The western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes) roams the woodlands of Africa no more.
The rhino, one of four sub-species of black rhino, was declared extinct this week by the IUCN, five years after the last extensive survey of its habitat in Cameroon turned up no evidence of surviving individuals.
The western black rhino was once widespread across the savannas of central-west Africa but decline due to hunting in the early 20th century. The population rebounded in the 1930s due to conservation efforts, but reversed as these waned. The population was in the hundreds by 1980 and declined to 10 by 2000.
 Black rhino and calf in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater |
The rhino becomes the second declared extinct this year. Last month the Vietnamese rhino, a subspecies of the Javan rhino, was officially listed as extinct. Both species were the victim of habitat loss and poaching. Both were ultimately done in by the Chinese rhino horn trade, which has driven the price of horn beyond gold, despite no evidence to suggest horn has any power beyond the placebo effect.
All of the world’s remaining rhino species are considered at risk of extinction. All are threatened by the rhino horn trade.
The next rhino likely to go extinct is the northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), a central African subspecies of white rhino. The Javan rhino is meanwhile down to less than 40 individuals in Sumatra’s Ujung Kulon National Park.
Emslie, R. 2011. Diceros bicornis ssp. longipes. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on 11 November 2011.
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