West African Black Rhino Extinct, Group Says

[AlonzoMourning23]

The West African black rhinoceros has likely gone extinct, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) announced last week.

"The West African black rhino is now feared extinct," the Switzerland-based environmental group said, and Africa's northern white rhino could soon follow.

Extensive surveys in northern Cameroon (map of Cameroon), the animals' last known refuge, found no trace of the rhino subspecies.

The two rhino species native to Africa, the black and white rhinos, are divided into six subspecies: the northern and southern white rhino and four black rhino subspecies.

IUCN's announcement suggests a third of Africa's rhino subspecies are now effectively lost (watch video of a black rhino breeding center in Texas).

Without a Trace

Richard Emslie of IUCN's Species Survival Commission told BBC News that a trio of experts systematically scoured 1,200 miles (2,500 kilometers) of habitat in northern Cameroon.

The survey failed to find any sign of the West African black rhino.

"They looked for spoor [tracks or droppings], they looked for the rhino's characteristic way of feeding, which has an effect like a pruning shear," Emslie, a rhino expert based in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, told the news service.

"But they didn't find anything to indicate a continued presence in the area.

"They did, however, come across lots of evidence of poaching, and that's the disconcerting thing."

Poachers have hunted the animals for decades for their horns to supply markets in Yemen and Asia (wallpaper: guarding a black rhino).

Rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine to fight malaria, epilepsy, fevers, and other ailments. In Yemen the horns are in demand as carved handles on traditional daggers.

IUCN says poachers likely gave the final push that sent the subspecies into oblivion.

Also last week the environmental group reported grim news for Africa's northern white rhino.

Ground and aerial surveys of the animal's last known holdout, in Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (map of the Congo), identified just four animals.

"Efforts to locate further animals continue," said Martin Brooks of ICUN's African Rhino Specialist Group.

"But we must now face the possibility that the subspecies may not recover to a viable level."

Bittersweet Success

The bleak findings contrast with the improving outlook for rhinos elsewhere on the continent.

In southern Africa the southern white rhino has turned into a striking conservation success story, rebounding from fewer than 50 animals a century ago to over 14,000 today.

And the three other black rhino subspecies have increased in number, particularly in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

The continent's total black rhino population gained from a record low of 2,410 in 1995 to 3,725 animals today.

The tally grew 3.5 percent in the past two years alone, according to IUCN.

But those figures still pale in comparison to the rhino's historic numbers (related wallpaper: black rhino in 1909).

According to some estimates, there were 14,000 black rhinos as recently as 1980 and more than 100,000 in 1960.



http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/07/060712-black-rhino_2.html

[Nathan Brazil]

That's too bad. It's a shame the black rhino wasn't a commercially valuable species. Perhaps if they'd rounded 'em all up and harvested gen-u-ine black rhino horn to be sold to gullible chinese they'd've been able to keep the herds at sustainable levels?

As it is, banning the sale of body parts to ignorant superstitious rich asians didn't stop dirt poor hungry africans from killing the animal and selling the magic body parts to the highest bidder. Sounds like a failure for the policies conservation by marxism.

[bobbylien]

Do they mean extinct in the wild or completely extinct? So long as we have some in zoos or something we can always help them make a comeback, provided we take care of the causes of their original extinction.

[AlonzoMourning23]

That's too bad. It's a shame the black rhino wasn't a commercially valuable species.

Uhh, no. The problem was it was a commercially valuable species (as are all rhino's, and elephants, due to ivory). Poaching killed it. Not enforcing existing anti-poaching laws (either lacking the ability to, or the will) are what causes extinctions like this. The rampant poverty makes it difficult to enforce such laws, as many do not see it as beneficial. But many African nations gain significant income from the fact that such animals exist, when locals are allowed to share in the revenue that tourism and such can bring, you can often reduce poaching drastically.

Do they mean extinct in the wild or completely extinct? So long as we have some in zoos or something we can always help them make a comeback, provided we take care of the causes of their original extinction.


I believe they are completely extinct. I did try to find some in zoo's online, but I found no mention of that. Every article I looked at said they are believed extinct. In the past when an animal has gone extinct in the wild, but not in zoo's, it's mentioned in at least some articles.

It's always possible that a few individuals are still left in the wild, but likely not a viable population.

[Nathan Brazil]

Like I said, the anti-poaching laws failed, whereas treating the animals as a commercially useful resource would have encouraged people to own them and care for them. No one is going to spend money husbanding an animal when he can't get a return on his investment.

And rhino's don't have ivory, like I said, it's stupid people thinking the horns will help them get it up or get the girl to put out.

[AlonzoMourning23]

Ivory technically comes from elephants, walruss etc. but Rhinoceros horns go hand in hand with it and are essentially part of the same trade, despite being technicaly different.

But the return on protecting them comes from tourism, a major industry for many countries in Africa. There is no point in domesticating a wild animal to save it. That's not what is needed, and that is not desirable.

Anti-Poaching laws did not fail per se. It's like outlawing murder and then never having the police go after murderers. The laws weren't so much the issue, it was the people in charge of enforcing them.

Not in reference to this topic per se, but, honestly, your opinions on traditional cultures, religion etc. are disgusting. Some traditional medicines are being shown to be scientifically valid, and I find it odd that someone who gives humans some mythical status above all else is so hateful towards any form of religion or culture that you weren't raised in.

[bobbylien]

I've seen some wierd things. About 50 years ago, I believe. We declared the Blue walleye to be extinct and recently someone caught one in a recent lake. True a Rhino is easier to find than a fish, but who knows. If there are still a few alive we need to try and capture them and bring back the species.
If money is a problem, start a fund. I'll gladly donate to save a species.

[Nathan Brazil]

Anti-Poaching laws did not fail per se.

Oh, no, you're completely right. Anti-poaching laws are a tremendous success. That's why you posted an article on the demise of the black rhino.

It's like outlawing murder and then never having the police go after murderers. The laws weren't so much the issue, it was the people in charge of enforcing them.

Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. The United States was one of those peculiar countries that outlawed murder, and even enforced the law, and still that nation's capital is called the murder capital of the world. Just not enough enforcement, is all.


Not in reference to this topic per se, but, honestly, your opinions on traditional cultures, religion etc. are disgusting.

I didn't express an opinion here on "traditional medicine". I expressed an opinion on superstitious space age businessmen spending money on magic hard-on treatments.

Some aspects of folk medicine sometimes work. Generally, though, I'll take an X-ray, and MRI, and penicillin over deer penis anyday. Talk about disgusting...

[RightWingJuggernaut]

I believe they are completely extinct. I did try to find some in zoo's online, but I found no mention of that. Every article I looked at said they are believed extinct. In the past when an animal has gone extinct in the wild, but not in zoo's, it's mentioned in at least some articles.



1 Part Google with a dash of "Black," a little "Rhino" and a heaping helping of "Zoo" (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=black+rhino+zoo)

Click it ^

[AlonzoMourning23]

"West African Black Rhinoceros"

Read it ^

[Technocrat]

The problem really is, outlawing something and not enforcing it won't stop being from doing it. People are inhernetly greedy, selfishing, and uncaring. You have to force them to be otherwise, either through some form of classical or operant conditioning.

They won't "love the rhino" simply because it's the right thing to do. In the absence of positive and negative reinforcement and/or certain groups standing by as guard-control, poachers will do what they please.

The analogy with murder is vaguely simliar. Outlawing it won't make it stop. Some will do it anyway if the rewards are great enough. Most won't think of the consequences anyway, only the rewards, if they are really willing to do something bad.

Perhaps domesticating them would have saved them; don't know. It's quite a shame that we would have to domesticate everything just to stop people from overhunting.