However, in captivity, a rhino’s diet is less varied, which inevitably leads to iron accumulation and diseases. In the wild, rhinos eat over 200 species of leaves making up a complete diet - some of their leaves contain a compound that binds iron. This is largely due to problems such as an inability for captive spaces to mimic the rhinos’ habitat in the wild. The program failed and almost all captured animals had died of disease. When the Sumatran rhino was dangerously endangered in the 1980s, conservationists began an intense captive breeding program where 40 animals were captured and moved to zoos. However, not all animals respond to captive breeding the same, and rhino, unfortunately, fall into this category. It is common practice among conservationists to help endangered species survive by first breeding them in captivity and then releasing them into the wild. Why is It Difficult to Help the Species Survive? ![]() Thanks to strong anti-poaching measures and hunting laws, the Indian rhinos have bounced back, with at least 3,000 individuals found in the wild. Also known as the plated rhino, the Indian rhino was previously found in India and Nepal, but poaching reduced its numbers drastically to less than 100 in the 1960s. The Indian rhino has fared better than its Asian counterparts in its fight against extinction. Conservationists are fighting against time to develop a program that will help them establish a new population of Javan rhino in suitable habitats in Indonesia. In terms of appearance, the Javan rhino is similar to the Indian rhino but has a much smaller head. The most endangered of the five rhino species, the Javan rhino can only be found in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia, with only 60 individuals remaining. Because their numbers are so small, they are faced with a declining genetic diversity, which makes them vulnerable to extinction due to diseases and inbreeding. Sumatran rhinos were once widespread in Sumatra and Borneo, but due to habitat encroachment and poaching, they are reduced to a mere 275 individuals in the wild. The Sumatran rhino is the smallest rhino species and is thought to have the most hair. Though a black rhino may be tricky to spot in the wild, an Overlanding safari in Tanzania just might increase your chance of spotting one! Relentless hunting in the 1950s and 1960s resulted in a rapid decline of this species but they’ve managed to bounce back with around 5,000 individuals found now. The black rhino, also known as a hook-lipped rhino can be found in eastern and southern Africa, including Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The black rhino is much smaller in size in comparison to the white rhino. While the southern white rhinos are the most numerous among the rhino population – believed to be over 20,000 in the wild, it’s northern counterparts, previously found in Congo, are almost extinct with none known in the wild and only three left in captivity. The white rhinos are made up of two subspecies – the southern white rhinos and the northern white rhinos. The white rhino has a square upper lip and is found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The white rhino is one of two rhino species found in Africa. ![]() ![]() ![]() There are five living rhino species in the world – two in Africa and three in Asia. Rhinos are herbivorous animals that are found in Asia and Africa. These large mammals are the second largest mammal in the world after the elephant and are able to weight more than one ton. The rhinos, or rhinoceros is one of five still existing species that have descended from the odd-toed ungulates. Time is slowly running out for the rhinos, with wildlife groups predicting that rhinos only have 10 years left before they go extinct if we don’t put an end to poaching. You can still spot a rhino in the wild in Africa, but only the white rhinos are thought to be at a healthier population count. The rhinos, who once roam the lands far and wide are now reduced to a countable population fighting to stay alive. The sad reality of our generation is that many of our wildlife are on the road to extinction, some more dangerously than others.
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