EXISTENTIAL CRISIS
Rhinos are one of the largest and most recognizable animals in the world. They belong to the Rhinocerotidae family, which includes five species - the white rhinoceros, the black rhinoceros, the greater one-horned rhinoceros, the Javan rhinoceros, and the Sumatran rhinoceros. These species live across Africa and Asia, in habitats as diverse as savannas, grasslands, tropical forests, and wetlands. The horn is definitely the most popular feature of rhinos, and it is used for defense, digging, and competition with other rhinos. Their skin is covered with folds and hairs that help regulate their body temperature and protect them from parasites. Their size depends on the species, but they can weigh up to 3.5 tons and be up to 4 meters long.
Rhinos have a long and rich history of coexistence with humans and are generally considered to be one of the oldest animal species in the world. Their outlines have been recorded in ancient cave paintings, they have been revered through diverse traditions and cultures, and are represented in numerous myths and legends. Today, their role in the ecosystem is just as important as it was thousands of years ago, as they help shape the landscapes they live in, disperse seeds, and create habitats for other animals. However, rhinos today face a serious threat of extinction, which occurs as a result of various human activities. Poaching, habitat loss, and climate change are some of the main factors that have caused the dramatic decline in rhino populations over the past century. According to the latest estimates, there are only about 27,000 rhinos left in the wild, and three out of five species are critically endangered.
The white rhinoceros - Ceratotherium simum, is the largest and the most numerous of all rhinoceros species, with two subspecies, the southern white rhinoceros and the northern white rhinoceros. The southern white rhinoceros is mainly found in the territory of South Africa, especially in Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, and has a population of about 18,000 individuals. The northern white rhino was once widespread throughout Central Africa, but after decades of poaching and civil war, it has been reduced to just two females. The last male northern white rhino died in 2018, rendering the subspecies functionally extinct. Black rhinoceros - Diceros bicornis has four subspecies: southwestern black rhinoceros, southeastern black rhinoceros, eastern black rhinoceros, and western black rhinoceros. The southwestern black rhino is found mainly in Namibia and South Africa, the southeastern black rhino in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and the eastern black rhino in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The western black rhino was once widespread throughout West Africa but was declared extinct in 2011 due to poaching. The total population of black rhinos today is about 5,600 individuals. The greater one-horned rhinoceros - Rhinoceros unicornis, also known as the Indian rhinoceros or the Asian one-horned rhinoceros, is found mainly in India and Nepal. Today, it has a population of about 3,600 individuals in the wild, making it the most successful species of Asian rhinoceros. The Indian rhinoceros spends a lot of time in rivers and swamps. It is mostly solitary but can form small groups during the breeding season.
Javan rhinoceros - Rhinoceros sondaicus is the rarest and most endangered of all rhino species. It has two subspecies: the Indonesian Javan rhinoceros and the Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros. The Indonesian Javan rhinoceros is found only in the Ujung Kulon National Park in the western part of Java, Indonesia, and has a population of about 60 individuals. The Vietnamese Javan rhino was once widespread throughout Southeast Asia, but was declared extinct in 2010 after the last individual was killed by poachers in Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. The Javan rhinoceros has a single horn on its nose that can grow up to 25 cm in length. Sumatran rhino - Dicerorhinus sumatrensis is the smallest of all rhino species. It has two subspecies: the western Sumatran rhinoceros and the eastern Sumatran rhinoceros. The West Sumatran rhinoceros is mainly found in Sumatra, Indonesia, and has a population of about 80 individuals. The eastern Sumatran rhinoceros is mainly found in Borneo, Malaysia, and has a population of about 20 individuals. The Sumatran rhinoceros has two horns on its nose, but the rear horn is usually very small or absent. It is more closely related to horses than to other rhinoceroses and is known for its distinctive call and the various vocalizations it can produce.
Although it is not the only cause of the extinction and decline of the rhino population, poaching can definitely be considered the root cause of it. Poaching involves the illegal killing of animals in order to sell some of their body parts. Rhinos are hunted mainly for their horns, which are highly prized in some Asian countries, especially China and Vietnam, where they are used as a status symbol or in traditional medicine. Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same substance as human hair and nails, and has no proven medicinal properties. Poaching is driven by high demand and low supply of rhino horn, making it one of the most expensive commodities in the world, more valuable than gold or cocaine on the black market. Poachers are often armed with sophisticated weapons and equipment, making them very dangerous for anti-poaching rangers who risk their lives every day to protect rhinos. Poaching also fuels corruption, violence, and instability in many regions where rhinos live.
Poaching has caused a dramatic decline in rhino populations over the past century. Thus, in 1900, the population of rhinos across Africa and Asia was up to 500,000 individuals, and by 1970, there were only 70,000 of them. Current data indicate that the total rhino population in 2020 was only 27,000. Some subspecies have already become extinct due to poaching, such as the western black rhinoceros and the Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros, while other species are also seriously endangered, or as is the case with the northern white rhinoceros and the Javan rhinoceros on the brink of extinction. Loss of natural rhino habitats is also considered a significant cause of rhino population decline in the wild, which includes the destruction or degradation of natural areas due to human activities such as agriculture, logging, mining, infrastructure development, and urbanization. Habitat loss reduces the quantity and quality of food, water, shelter, and space available to rhinos, and also fragments their populations into smaller and more isolated groups that are more susceptible to inbreeding, disease, and poaching. Habitat loss also affects other animals and plants that share the same ecosystem, reducing the biodiversity of certain areas and permanently changing their structure.
