Global News - June 2008

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While African rhinos recover, one subspecies is on the edge of extinction

Tue 17 June 2008 14:00 UK — Africa,Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos

While new research has shown that rhino numbers in Africa are increasing rapidly, experts are warning that one subspecies, the northern white rhino, is on the brink of extinction.

Data compiled by the IUCN showed that there are now more than 21,000 African rhinos.

Despite this, the report warned that northern white rhinos, which are only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Garamba National Park, are close to extinction. In fact, the ICUN said that there were only four left late in 2006.

"Worryingly, recent fieldwork has so far failed to find any presence of these four remaining rhinos," Dr Martin Brooks, chair of the IUCN African rhino specialist group, explained.

"Unless animals are found during the intensive surveys that are planned … the subspecies may be doomed to extinction."

The researchers said that poaching was responsible for the animals' plight.

"Even though protection from poaching is critical, effective rhino conservation must also include intensive monitoring and biological management to ensure annual growth rates of at least five per cent per year so that surplus rhinos are made available to create new population," Dr Brooks concluded.

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