Small increase in the rhino population, but poaching is also increasing

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were half a million rhinos in the world.

Most poaching in 2023 occurred in South Africa. The total population of white rhinos in Kenya increased from 15,942 in 2022 to 17,464 in 2023.

But the other two types of rhinoceros, black rhinoceros and one-horned rhinoceros, have not seen any development in the population, according to the report the report from the International Rhino Foundation.

Only two females are alive

The northern white rhinoceros is practically extinct. Only two females are alive, and they are in the private conservatory Ol Pejata in Kenya. Experiments are carried out here with eggs and sperm collected from former rhinos. The aim is to find a surrogate mother for an embryo.

A total of 586 rhinos were killed in Africa in 2023. This is an increase from the previous year with 35 poached rhinos, according to the International Union for Conservation of nature.

The biggest threat to rhinos is poachers who sell the horn as medicine to Asians who believe the rhino has magical powers.

Protection is key

Philip Muruthi from the African Wildlife Foundation says that protection is the main key to boosting population numbers.

– In Kenya, the number of protected rhinos increased from 380 in 1986 to 1,000 last year. It has happened because the rhinos stayed in safe places in the reserve, says Muruthi.

He wants to start a campaign that could end the demand for rhino horn. Modern monitoring technology can be used to protect the rhinos.

Rhinos are forest dispersers as they spread seeds through their faeces. Philip Muruthi is outraged that the northern white rhino is so close to extinction. Two female horns are the only survivors in this population. The last male died in 2018 and is now stuffed in a museum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Will live at least another 100 years

Researcher and wildlife manager Bernard Agwanda believes that protecting rhinos in Sudan may be the way to go. It will tell the story of species that live among humans and why conservation is so important.

– We expect that the northern white rhino behind us will live for another 100 to 200 years, and at the same time tell its story to generations to come, says Bernard Agwanda.