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Research
Papers - The Black Rhino
Rhino term refers to the
prehistoric beast that has inhabited the Earth for 60 million
years. Baluchitherium grangeri is an extinct species of rhino
that lived in Mongolia that is known as the largest land mammal
that inhibited the earth. This species was without horn, 18 feet
tall, 27 feet long, and weighed 25 tons. Its extinction was
probably caused by climatic change.
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The myth of rhino
Rhino has it links to the legendary unicorn. Marco Polo in 1298
described Sumatran rhinos as unicorns saying:
“There are wild elephants in the country, and numerous unicorns,
which are very nearly as big. They have hair like that of a
buffalo, feet like those of an elephant, and a horn in the
middle of the forehead, which is black and very thick”.
Name
The biological name of the black rhinoceros is Diceros bicornis
which in Greek means: di, meaning "two" and ceros, meaning,
"horn” and from Latin: bi, meaning "two" and cornis, meaning,
"horn". That is rhinoceros is “horned nosed”. (Black Rhinoceros:
Diceros bicornis) The black rhino myth have got its name so as
to differentiate it from the white rhino Ceratotherium simum,
which has a wider lip than the black rhino. But black rhinos are
not really black rather they are gray.
Characteristics
An adult black rhino gets 14 feet long, 4.5 feet tall and weighs
up to 3,900 pounds. The horn is made up of keratin fibers. A
thick, wrinkled, tough hide covers it as it pushes its way
through the thorny acacia trees and bushes it likes to eat. The
black rhinoceros is differentiated by two large horns on its
nose, the front one being the largest. They are extremely
nearsighted; making the rhino dangerous and unpredictable, and
likely to charge unfamiliar sounds and smells. Their sense of
smell gives them information about their surroundings and helps
them scent danger. The ears can swivel for the quietest sounds.
Rhino's horn is not a true horn that is attached to the skull;
rather it grows from the skin, where the keratin is compressed
into the horn. Both sexes have identical double horns. (F. B.
Salvadori, 1990)
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Rhino path
Rhinos habituate elevations of 8600 to 9300 ft in the mountains
of East Africa. As they have avoided hot and wet regions, they
have never penetrated the virgin rainforest of the Congo Basin
or the forests of West Africa. They did not spread all over
Africa. However, once their range extended to the southern tip
of Angola to the West coast of Africa and all of East Africa,
including Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, and parts of
Ethiopia, it extended between the Sahara Desert and the Congo
and the virgin forest of Nigeria to Lake Chad and Cameroon.
There were also areas in which it did not live, like coast of
Kenya and Tanzania and between Zambezi and Chobe Rivers. Due to
European settlement in Africa, their population had been
expunged from large parts of their former range, such as the
region south of the Zambezi River, and completely vanished from
the French colonies in Africa by 1930. Presently they are
decreased to reserves in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia, and
South Africa.
Social Behavior
Black rhinos are unpredictable and dangerous, and can move at
speeds up to 40 miles per hour for short distances. Like horses,
rhinos run and walk on their toes. The black rhino is solitary
animal and come together only to mate. Black rhinos feed morning
and evening and sleep in the shade or in a wallow during the hot
part of the day. Breeding occurs throughout the year and the
females gestate for over a year, and the time between calves is
generally 2½ to 3½ years.
Endangered species
Population declines
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania
estimation the black rhino’s population has declined from
100,000 in 1970 to less than 3,000 in Africa and in 1992 they
were under 2,500. At present only 2,000 black rhinos are left in
all of Africa and the peril still continues. Zimbabwe was once
the stronghold for the black rhino, but by the mid-1980s it too
faced a sever decline in the black rhino population.
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Reason for being endangered
It is estimated that 90% of adult rhino die due to poaching. The
main cause of the black rhino killing is poaching for horns. In
the black market it is sold for up to $1500. It is basically
used in Asian Folk medicine and for ceremonial dagger handles in
North Yemen, which is the biggest market. (The American Museum
of Natural History, 1996)
Centuries ago the powder made from these horns were sold in East
Asiatic pharmacies at a high price. At that time the rhinoceros
were an easy kill. They have been poached ever since. It has
been said that the medium-size horn of a great Indian rhinoceros
literally is worth its weight in gold. The strong faith in the
healing powers of these horns increased the prices constantly.
These horns were once used to treat rheumatism and as a
traditional aphrodisiac. Rhino horn has been clinically tested
and proven to be effective in reducing fever.
Conservation
Various measures have been taken so as to conserve the
population of black rhino before it extinct. These measures are
briefly described below:
CITES Trade Regulation
All trade in rhino horn is prohibited under Appendix I of CITES
(Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species).
However, the restriction has not been successful. (Appendix 1 of
CITES)
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Conservatories
Conservatories have been built for the black rhino protection,
like parks and reserves that provide habitat for elephants in
Africa. But, that too proved less of use.
Dehorning
Dehorning has been very effective in conserving and discouraging
the very reason for which black rhino was poached.
Conservation by Captive Breeding
Conservation of black rhinos through captive breeding is taking
place under the Species Survival Plans (SSP) in the Cincinnati
Zoo and Botanical Garden, Los Angeles Save Valley, Bubiana,
Chidredzi River and Malilangwe. The rhinos bred in these
conservancies for restocking other areas where poachers have
already wiped them out. (Michael De Alessi, 2000)
International pursuance
International pressures have been applied to importer countries
like China and Taiwan to control the illegal importation and
subsequent sale of rhino products. As a result the largest
importer Yemen, has agreed to stop importing rhino horn.
Alternative medicines are being promoted in countries where
these hors are used for medicinal purposes, which hopefully
might decrease the value of horns.
Other actions
The Endangered Species Protection Unit is established that
investigates illegal activities, such as poaching and trading
relating to endangered species, including rhino. TRAFFIC (Trade
Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce) office is
established in South Africa, whose aim is the conservation of
wildlife by monitoring and reporting on trade in wild animals
and plants. (Europe Environment, 1993)
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