Rhino population increases in 2023 despite ongoing poaching threats

Sponsored Ad

The global rhino population saw a slight increase in 2023, but poaching continues to threaten their survival, according to a recent report by the International Rhino Foundation. The white rhino population rose by 1,522, reaching 17,464, while the total rhino population of all subspecies stood at approximately 28,000. This number is still far below the 500,000 rhinos that roamed the world at the beginning of the 20th century.

In Africa, poaching remains a significant issue, with one rhino killed every 15 hours. A total of 586 rhinos were killed in 2023, mostly in South Africa, which has the largest population of rhinos. Despite the poaching, South Africa’s white rhino numbers are increasing, thanks to conservation efforts.

However, the black rhino population has seen a slight decline due to heavy poaching in Namibia and South Africa. In Indonesia, authorities are investigating poaching groups responsible for killing 26 Javan rhinos between 2019 and 2023.

In India, the population of the one-horned Asian rhino has risen from 1,500 to over 4,000 in the last four decades, largely due to conservation efforts.

Rhinos face various environmental threats such as habitat loss, but poaching for their horns, believed to have medicinal properties, remains the top challenge. Conservationists advocate for reducing demand for rhino horns and using technology to monitor rhinos.