Africa's Rhinos Slowly Growing in Numbers
8/19/98
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Title: Africa's Rhinos Slowly Growing in Numbers
Source: World Wildlife Fund
Status: Distribute freely with proper credit to source
Date: 8/19/98
Two African species of rhinoceros, the Black rhino (Dioceros
bicornis) and the White rhino (Ceratotherium simum) are slowly growing in
size, according to a new estimate announced today by the conservation
organizations WWF and IUCN.
After suffering a severe reduction from around 65,000 in 1970 to just over
2,000 in the mid-1990's, intensive conservation efforts in several African
countries have allowed the Black Rhino to increase from an estimated
2,408 in 1995 to a new total of 2,599 in 1997. In a similar fashion, the
estimated total population of the White Rhino has risen from 7,563 in
1995, to about 8,466 in 1997.
The new updates, prepared by IUCN's African Rhino Specialist Group, looked
at all the countries where one or both species are known to exist in the
wild. Overall, the numbers show that the sum of populations in all African
rhino range states increased from a previous estimate of 9,971 rhinos in
1995 to a new total of 11,065 in 1997.
"It may not seem a very large increase, but when you take into
consideration the difficulties in dealing with illegal hunting over large
areas, this is definitely good news," explained Dr. Holly Dublin, Chair of
the WWF African Rhino Working Group. "These figures are a sign that
Africa's rhinos are not lost and can be conserved if adequate safeguards
and conservation strategies are set in place and strengthened in the
countries where rhinos still exist."
The overall decline of rhino populations across Africa has been largely
caused by poaching driven in recent decades by a feverish demand for the
highly-priced rhino horn used in traditional Chinese medicine and for the
making of decorative dagger handles in the Middle East. Despite an
international ban on the trade of rhino products established in 1977, the
market for horn continues to flourish.
However, the establishment of effective anti-poaching efforts and
conservation strategies involving government agencies, local communities
and private land owners in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya
and Namibia, has played a major role in stabilizing and gradually
restoring rhino populations. Some of theses countries, like South Africa,
have even been able to provide rhinos for re-stocking programmes in other
range states.
"While we are happy about this positive trend, there is no room for
complacency," warned Dublin. "The nature of any illegal trade is that it
will always tempt some people into going for the quick-cash gain; long-
term conservation success can only be brought about by increasing the
level of awareness among consumers, securing adequate funding for field
conservation and identifying alternatives for people to benefit from
rhinos without killing them, and that only comes with hard work,
dedication and time. A lot remains to be done."
For more information, please contact Javier Arreaza at Tel: +41 22 364
9550, Fax: +41 22 364 8307, E-mail: jarreaza@wwfnet.org
*WWF is known as World Wildlife Fund in Canada and the United States of
America