Rhino Species At Risk

Image Credit: Save The Rhino International

The threat of extinction is real.

Rhinos are under serious pressure that is risking their survival. If all rhinos went extinct, then their habitats would forever be shifting towards decline. All keystone species are pivotal in their role for the eco-system. Rhinos are unique by the way they impact and change the landscape around themselves. As mega-herbivores (large plant eating mammals), they have an important role in maintaining healthy eco-systems by preventing overgrowth of vegetation. This encourages new growth and results in additional food and grazing areas for other herbivore species. Rhinos also play a vital role by helping to keep waterholes open.

All Five Species & Conservation Status (IUCN)

- Sumatran Rhino: Critically Endangered
- Javan Rhino: Critically Endangered
- Black Rhino: Critically Endangered
- Greater One-Horned Rhino: Vulnerable
- White Rhino: Near Threatened

The threats to rhino species includes: changes in habitat composition, logging activity, habitat destruction & fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, poaching (illegal wildlife trade / horn trade), and low population density (creating genetic restrictions). Action is urgently needed to protect these remarkable animals from the brink of extinction. The measures necessary include habitat restoration, increased law enforcement, and severe penalties for all involved in wildlife endangerment.