Camera traps recorded just four females in a recent survey.

It is barely a week since the extinction of the Javan rhino subspecies (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) was confirmed, and already there is troubling news about the remaining Javan rhinos.

There may be just a handful of females among the world’s last population of Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus sondaicus), which are found only in Indonesia.

According to The Jakarta Globe, camera traps recorded 17 rhinos this year and only four were females.

The rhinos were found in the eastern half of Ujung Kulon National Park.

Video of Javan rhino and calf:

Recently, the video cameras were moved to the western half of the park, which is “more remote”.

It is hoped that additional female Javan rhinos will be found; the results could be known in a few weeks.

Learn more about the extinction of the Javan rhino in Vietnam at “Gone Forever: Javan Rhino Declared Extinct in Vietnam“.

‘Operation Javan Rhino’

However, there is hope for Javan rhinos in Indonesia.

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) along with an international team of partners, is working to expand the useable habitat for Javan rhinos in UKNP by creating the 4,000 hectare Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area (JRSCA).

We are doing this by constructing small bridges, an electric fence, and a patrol road; eradicating invasive species which have taken over a good portion of the habitat; planting rhino food plants; providing a water supply and saltlick; and constructing additional guard posts. The continued survival of the Javan rhino depends on their population increasing in numbers as rapidly as possible, and in spreading the population out so that ‘all the eggs are not in one basket’.

Find out how you can help Operation Javan Rhino here.

Image via YouTube

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

New posters!

Posters featuring critically endangered Javan and Sumatran rhinos are now available!

Just in time for World Rhino Day!

These A4 size posters are part of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia‘s “Twelve in Trouble” awareness campaign, which was launched in January 2011. Find out more about the “Twelve in Trouble” campaign by connecting with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia on Facebook®

To download a poster, simply click the URL located beneath each poster image.

Javan Rhino Poster

Download the Javan rhino poster by clicking here.

Sumatran Rhino Poster

Download the Sumatran rhino poster by clicking here.

Check out the downloads page of our website for more rhino posters!

Posters & images: © Saving Rhinos LLC & TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. Javan rhino photo © WWF; Sumatran rhino photo © Yayasan Badak Indonesia, courtesy of International Rhino Foundation.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Dramatic video footage confirms that Javan rhinos are breeding!

The World Wildife Fund (WWF) has just released exciting videos showing two female Javan rhinos and their calves in Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park. Javan rhinos are critically endangered and fewer than 50 individuals are still surviving.

The footage was captured using a motion-activated camera in the Park, located on the island of Java.

Video #1: Female Javan rhino with her male calf:

Video #2: Another female rhino with her female calf:

The videos were filmed between November and December 2010, thanks to WWF and the Ujung Kulon National Park Authority.

International partnership

An international partnership that includes WWF, Ujung Kulon National Park authorities, International Rhino Foundation, Indonesia Rhino Foundation, Asian Rhino Project, IUCN/SSC Rhino Specialist Group and local communities, is working to monitor the remaining rhinos, establish a new population by relocating several individuals, and protect them from the ever-present danger of being killed for their single horn.

Chief scientist at WWF, Dr. Eric Dinerstein is cautiously optimistic about the videos, and noted that a volcanic eruption by Anak Krakatau or a disease outbreak could render these rhino extinct.

The videos are great news for Javan rhinos and prove that they are breeding in Ujung Kulon. There are no Javan rhinos in captivity—if we lose the population in the wild, we’ve lost them all.

Dr. Dinerstein is the author of The Return of the Unicorns: The Natural History and Conservation of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros.

The head of Asian species conservation at WWF, Dr. Barney Long is hopeful about the future of Javan rhinos.

It’s such a joy to see these healthy calves calmly ambling through the dense tropical forest. It gives me hope for the future of the species and it’s moments like these that make all of the hard work of Indonesia’s dedicated field staff worthwhile.

WWF has set up an emergency fund to help establish a secondary population of critically endangered Javan rhinos in Indonesia.

A recent census determined there are no more than 48 Javan rhinos in Indonesia. There are perhaps only four individuals of a Javan rhino subspecies in Vietnam. Tragically, one of the last of its kind was found shot with the horn chopped off last year in Cat Tien National Park.

Illegal rhino killings at 16-year high

The current rate of illegal rhino killings has reached a 16-year high, as demand for rhino horn from China and Vietnam is soaring. According to cultural folklore, rhino horn is believed to “cure” a wide range of ailments – from fever to “devil possession” – and is still highly sought after for use in traditional medicines.

According to rhino conservation organizations, including the International Rhino Foundation, rhino poaching is a high-stakes endeavor undertaken by organized crime networks. These syndicates often involve corrupt government officials and foreign diplomats. Cathy Dean, executive director of Save the Rhino International, confirmed that “rhinos are killed for the sole intention of selling their horns on the black market”.

Rhino horn has actually undergone rigorous scientific testing by the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann LaRoche and by renowned rhino horn expert Dr. Raj Amin at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The results were conclusive: Rhino horn has no medicinal value whatsoever.

Source: “Critically Endangered Javan Rhinos and Calves Captured on Video.” WWF. 27 February 2011

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

The year’s most popular rhino stories, all in one convenient location.

2010 marked a significant year for rhinos: The rhino killing crisis finally began to make headlines around the world. Here on our blog, we lifted the veil of “political correctness” that has shielded the illegal trade in rhino horn for far too long, and encouraged the public to tour the gruesome and greedy business of slaughtering rhinos for their horns.

Now, for the first time ever, here are the Top Ten Rhino Stories of the Year.

#10: Poison rhino horn

The controversial topic of injecting rhino horns with poison emerged when a man in South Africa finally became fed up with the country’s tragic rhino poaching situation. The idea was to poison the rhino horns – without harming the rhinos – so that when consumers use “medicines” derived of horns from illegally killed rhinos, they become sick or possibly die.

Read it here: Poisoning Rhino Horn to Thwart Poaching Syndicates in South Africa

#9: Javan rhino killed in Vietnam

In a devastating blow to wildlife conservation efforts, one of the world’s last critically endangered Javan rhinos was found shot, with the horn hacked out, in Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park. No more than four individuals of this rhino subspecies Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus are left on earth.

Read it here: One of World’s Last Javan Rhinos Murdered by Poachers in Vietnam

#8: China’s rhino farm revealed

After wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC found that China was buying an unusually large number of rhinos from Africa, we took a closer look. Our research revealed that China is already farming rhinos in order to use rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine. We believe that China is preparing for an attempt to have the ban on rhino horn trade lifted.

Read it here: Revealed: Location of China’s Rhino Farm and ‘Horn Harvesting’ Experiments

#7: Fletcher-Saaiman syndicate case

Although allegedly responsible for slaughtering at least 19 rhinos, including three calves, in order to profit from the illegal rhino horn trade, the rhino horn syndicate case involving George Fletcher, Gert Saaiman, and Frans Deventer was thrown out by Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa of the North Gauteng High Court. The judge pointed out that the State’s case was based on the testimony of a convicted criminal, and that the accused were “losing their social standing” because of delays.

Read it here: South African Rhino Horn Syndicate Case Involving Safari Operators Thrown Out

#6: South Africa’s rhino death toll surpasses 300

For the third year in a row, rhino killing in South Africa increased at an alarming rate. By early December, the number of rhinos slaughtered in South Africa reportedly reached 304, more than doubling last year’s body count of 122.

Read it here: South Africa’s Rhino Death Toll for 2010 Skyrockets to 304

#5: World Rhino Day

September 22^nd, 2010 was World Rhino Day. The WWF campaign called on all concerned citizens of the world to dust off their vuvuzelas, toot their horns, blow their didgeridoos and make as much noise as possible at 1:00 PM Central Africa Time (CAT), as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders that the time to take serious and effective action against rhino poaching is now.

Read it here: Join Together for World Rhino Day, September 22

#4: The ex-supermodel

Apparently oblivious to the fact that four of the five rhino species are teetering at the edge of extinction because of myths and superstitions about rhino horn, aging beauty Elle Macpherson said publicly that rhino horn tastes like “crushed bone and fungus” and it “does the job”. Macpherson later claimed she was just kidding about consuming rhino horn.

Read it here: ‘Powdered Rhino Horn’ in a Capsule? Celebrity Macpherson Reveals Shocking Ignorance

#3: The Vietnamese connection

Vietnam emerged as one of the major recipients of illegal rhino horn from Southern Africa. Not only is the demand for rhino horn as a curative widespread in urban areas of Vietnam, but rhino horn and special tools for grinding rhino horn are offered for sale in shops and online. It is believed that senior political figures in Vietnam are likely involved in the acquisition – and consumption – of rhino horn.

Read it here: Illegal Trade in Rhino Horn: The Vietnamese Connection

#2 TIE: Somak Safari Lodge

Conservationists became furious over the planned opening of a safari lodge in Kenya – a development that is likely to push critically endangered black rhinos closer to the edge of extinction. Unfortunately, commercial interests eventually prevailed over rhino conservation.

Read it here: Critically Endangered Black Rhino Habitat in Kenya Threatened by Somak Safari Lodge

#2 TIE: Rhino horn myths debunked

Myths and superstitions about rhino horn have made rhinos one of the most endangered animals on earth. But what else do we know about rhino horn – this magnificent protuberance that gives the rhino its unmistakably noble profile?

Read it here: Rhino Horn: Knowledge vs. Superstition

#1: The Groenewald gang

The world was shocked when several well-known people from South Africa’s rhino industry were arrested in connection with the killing of hundreds of the pachyderms and selling their horns to Asian markets. Two veterinarians, two safari operators, and a professional hunter were among nine people arrested during a police raid that spanned across Polokwane, Musina, and Modimolle. It was especially galling that the suspects were granted bail on World Rhino Day, and the case postponed until April 2011.

Read it here: South African Media Releases Names of Safari Operators, Trophy Hunter Arrested in Rhino Poaching Syndicate Bust

Also worth noting is that less than a month after the court appearance, 20 dehorned rhino carcasses were found in a mass grave on suspect Dawie Groenewald’s property: 20 Rhino Carcasses Found on Syndicate Suspect Groenewald’s Musina Property

Special mentions

Five additional stories were very close to making the Top Ten, and are worthy of mentioning here:

• Northern White Rhino Breeding Plan to Begin with ‘Hybrids’
• Taxidermists Warn of ‘Suspicious’ Buyers Seeking Rhino Horn Trophies
• India’s Rhino Poaching Gangs: A Closer Look
• Critically Endangered Black Rhino Brutally Slaughtered in Zimbabwe [Warning: Extremely Graphic Images]
• An Orphaned Baby Rhino Gone Too Soon: Vusi’s Story

Photo credit: Pam Krzyza

Criteria

The Top Ten list was compiled using a combination of the following:

• Web traffic – number of visits (overall and spikes)
• Social media activity (Facebook®, discussion forums, etc.)
• Additional media activity (news websites, traditional media, other blogs)

(In case you’re wondering: My personal Top Ten list would have included Are ‘Insiders’ Intentionally Fueling Demand for Illegal Rhino Horn? and Chinese News Reports Arrival of 12 Rhinos from South Africa, but they didn’t make the cut based on the above criteria.)

I would like to say thank you for taking time to read Rhino Horn is NOT Medicine , for visiting our website at savingrhinos.org, and joining us on Facebook®.

If you have any questions, please drop us a line at: info (at) savingrhinos (dot) org

Images #1, 3, 6 – istock.com; #2 – WWF Vietnam; #4 – Saving Rhinos LLC; #5 – compiled by author; #7 via SANParks; #8 courtesy of Pam Krzyza

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Fewer than 50 Javan rhinos are still surviving – but you can help save them from extinction.

The International Rhino Foundation seeks your help in purchasing a new boat for its Rhino Protection Units (RPUs) in Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia. River patrols are a vital part of protecting Javan rhinos because most poachers and encroachers use the river to illegally access the park and its wildlife.

Ujung Kulon National Park: Home of the world’s last viable population of Javan rhinos

Javan rhinos have been hunted to near-extinction because their horns are considered an essential ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine – despite the fact that rhino horn has been extensively tested and actually contains no medicinal properties.

Sadly, these medicinal myths about rhino horn has placed all five rhino species in peril.

In addition, these shy rhinos have been forced into smaller and smaller areas by increasing human populations which continue to encroach on Javan rhino habitat.

Javan rhinos survive in part because of the efforts of the International Rhino Foundation’s courageous Rhino Protection Units (RPUs).

RPUs are elite anti-poaching teams, made of up local people from the villages surrounding Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia (home to the sole remaining viable population of Javan rhinos).

These brave and committed individuals leave their families behind and sometimes put their lives on the line to protect rhinos. They spend at least 15 days per month patrolling and camping in the forests, where they monitor rhinos, remove snares and traps that might injure them, and apprehend poachers and others committing illegal activities in the park.

A new boat for the RPUs is USD $10,000 – and one of IRF’s long-time donors has made an extremely generous pledge, and has issued a challenge.

Between now and October 31^st, every donation made for Operation Javan Rhino will be matched (up to $5,000) to help purchase a new boat for the RPUs. For example, if you give a donation of $5 today, it will be doubled to $10. A donation of $50 becomes $100.

To donate to International Rhino Foundation’s Operation Javan Rhino, click here.

Source: International Rhino Foundation

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Rhino horn continues to fetch unusually high prices at antiques auctions.

Less than a month after the UK tightened regulations around rhino horn exports, a rhino horn and a Javan rhino head have reportedly taken top dollar at an antiques auction in Sydney, Australia.

A rhino horn sold for $90,000 and a Javan rhino trophy head fetched a surprising $108,000; a pair of bull elephant tusks sold for $96,000.

… enthusiasm for Anderson’s taxidermy and animal artefacts section was even more unexpected. A pair of African bull elephant tusks sold for $96,000 and a rare rhino horn went for $90,000, both above estimate. Top result was for the Javan rhinoceros trophy head, which sold for $108,000.

Although the rhino horn buyers were not named, The Sydney Morning Herald noted that 83 percent of the winning bids came from Australians.

Illegal rhino horn dealers turn to legal auctions

Earlier this month, the UK cracked down on rhino horn exports after observing an unusual increase in the number of rhino horn items being sold through auction house.

In addition, “worked” rhino horn items, such as carvings and taxidermy, were commanding prices in excess of their actual value. For example, a buyer from mainland China paid a record £106,000 (USD $164,046) for a rhinoceros horn mount.

The agency which regulates trade in endangered species for the UK, Animal Health suspects that illegal rhino horn dealers are using legal trade as a smokescreen.

In July, the European Taxidermy Federation (ETF) issued a warning last month to its members that “suspicious” buyers were posing as representatives seeking African trophies – rhino horn in particular – for castles or museums.

A perusal of the U.S.-based Taxidermy.net‘s public forum revealed that several members have been contacted in a similar manner.

Rhino horn is in high demand for use in traditional medicines in China and Vietnam, despite the fact that rhino horn has been extensively analyzed and actually contains no medicinal properties.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

There is hope for the world’s 48 Javan rhinos, thanks to a team of international rhino conservation groups.

An exciting project to expand the habitat of the world’s only viable population of critically endangered Javan rhinos is moving forward, thanks to a coalition of international rhino conservation organizations.

Another 9,884 acres (4,000 ha) of habitat will be created in Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park as a safeguard against extinction that could be caused by a disease outbreak or a natural disaster, such as a volcanic eruption. The expanded area is also expected to encourage breeding and increase the population of the world’s rarest large mammal.

According to Dr. Susie Ellis, executive director of the International Rhino Foundation, having all of the Javan rhinos in a single location keeps the species at a high risk of extinction.

With the help of the Rhino Foundation of Indonesia, the Worldwide Fund for Nature, Save the Rhino, and the Indonesian government, we have committed to improving the available habitat for Javan rhinos to increase and spread out the population.

After last year’s habitat assessment study by the partners, the recommendation was to set up a Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area in Gunung Honje area (in the eastern part of the park) so that rhinos could fully utilize the Park’s land.

$300,000 needed to complete the project

In order to complete this effort, the International Rhino Foundation launched Operation Javan Rhino to help raise USD $300,000 in funds. The money will be used to plant rhino food plants, create water sources and wallows, construct guard posts and patrol routes, and hire anti-poaching units to patrol the area.

Widodo Ramono, executive director of the Rhino Foundation of Indonesia, noted that the ground team is already working in the park, constructing an electric fence, small bridges and new patrol routes.

We will also improve the habitat by removing invasive plants and providing an improved and reliable water supply.

Agus Priambudi, director of Ujung Kulon National Park added that intensive management of the Park is being expanded.

A number of encroachers were moved from within the Park, and we are constructing new guard posts so that the Gunung Honje area is better protected.

And thanks to daily monitoring by Rhino Protection Units, Javan rhinos have been kept safe from poachers.

Rhino Protection Units

Over the past 14 years, rhino poaching has essentially been eliminated from the park due to the diligence of Rhino Protection Units, who monitor the Javan rhino population daily by following footprints and assessing dung. Video camera traps have also been installed by WWF Indonesia, and 60 cameras were generously donated by the Aspinall Foundation in January.

Site manager for WWF Indonesia’s project in the Park, Adhi Rachmat Hariyadi, explained that the camera traps provide essential data for determining how many rhino occupy Ujung Kulon.

So far, from the videos we have analyzed, we have identified 27 individual rhinos and extrapolated a maximum of 47 animals in the Park, which still needs to be confirmed by ground surveys.

Expanding the Javan rhinos’ habitat is a critical first step in bringing these animals back from the very edge of extinction. The next step will be identifying a secondary location elsewhere in Indonesia, and translocating rhinos to that area, to create another population of Javan rhinos.

Illegal rhino killings at 16-year high

The current rate of illegal rhino killings has reached a 16-year high, as demand for rhino horn from China and Vietnam is soaring. According to cultural folklore, rhino horn is believed to “cure” a wide range of ailments – from fever to “devil possession” – and is still highly sought after for use in traditional medicines.

According to rhino experts, including the International Rhino Foundation, rhino poaching is a high-stakes endeavor undertaken by organized crime networks. These syndicates often involve corrupt government officials and foreign diplomats. Cathy Dean, executive director of Save the Rhino International, confirmed that “rhinos are killed for the sole intention of selling their horns on the black market”.

Rhino horn has actually undergone rigorous scientific testing by the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann LaRoche and by renowned rhino horn expert Dr. Raj Amin at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The results were conclusive: Rhino horn has no medicinal value whatsoever.

Source: International Rhino Foundation

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Vietnam has been identified as one of the major recipients of rhino horn from South Africa.

The demand for rhino horn in Vietnam has increased substantially over the past few years, and the country is currently considered a significant factor in the illegal rhino horn trade.

Most rhino horn entering Vietnam is sourced from South Africa. Rhino horn is obtained for consumption (quasi-) legally via trophy hunts, and illegally from poachers operating in South Africa.

Not only is the demand for rhino horn as a curative widespread in urban areas of Vietnam, but rhino horn and special tools for grinding rhino horn are offered for sale in shops and online.

And according to the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, senior political figures in Vietnam are likely involved in the acquisition – and consumption – of rhino horn.

Rhino horn for sale in Vietnam

In addition to the traditional myths surrounding the healing properties of rhino horn, the Vietnamese have propagated the recent rumor that rhino horn is a cure for cancer. (Updated August 6^th, 2011: Some Chinese medicine websites have been offering rhino horn mixtures for the treatment of cancer. This suggests that the “cancer rumor” is likely a planned marketing ploy. Updated January 26^th, 2012: “Cancer rumor” linked to China’s Longhui Pharmaceutical Company.) This unfortunate notion has been compounded by hospital staff who have reportedly offered rhino horn to terminally ill patients.

Staff at a particular hospital in Ha Noi are said to have approached patients with terminal cancer, and offered to put them in touch with traders who have authentic horns for sale.

Rhino horn is sold in Vietnam through various retail outlets, such as traditional medicine stores. It is also fairly easy to locate rhino horn for sale online in Vietnam.

The photo below is part of an advertisement for rhino horn on a Vietnamese website:

Some Vietnamese businesses sell special tools for preparing rhino horn, along with their regular wares.

For example, a badminton racket repair shop in Hanoi displays a sign offering “Rhinoceros horn bowls for sale”:

It is disturbing to note that rhinoceros skin and blood are offered as well.

In Ho Chi Minh City, several of these sellers also claim to be able to supply the skin and blood of rhinoceros, though these orders must be placed one month in advance.

Rhino horn is sold whole or in “cuts weighing between 90g to 500g”. The horn is mixed with water after being ground into a powder and consumed as a liquid.

Imitation rhino horn

The demand for rhino horn is so great in Vietnam that some outlets are selling imitation rhino horn made from cows or buffalo.

[The imitation horns] are reportedly produced in several villages in Viet Nam, though a well known production center sited by several sources is Ning Hiep in Bac Ninh province on the outskirts of Ha Noi.

On the Vietnamese market, a “freshly cut” rhino horn commands a retail price of USD $25,000 – $40,000 per kg. Imitation horns fetch a substantial price of USD $15,000 per kg.

Contrary to popular belief, the manufacture and sale of “fake” rhinoceros horns does not flood the market and drive prices down. Instead, imitation horns keep the trade invigorated and the demand high. Next page >>

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Thanks to the rampant illegal slaughter of rhinos for their horns, rhinos have the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most endangered animals on earth.

Over the last 40 years, the world’s overall rhinoceros population has declined by over 90% – and if not for dedicated conservation efforts over the last 100 years, it is likely that all rhinoceros species would already be extinct.

To help raise awareness for these proud pachyderms, here are 11 incredible facts about rhinos – plus a compilation of beautiful photos (with a couple of videos, too). Enjoy!

Rhino fact 1: There are two species of African rhino – the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) and the black rhino (Diceros bicornis). There are three species of Asian rhino – the greater one-horned (Indian) rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), and the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus).

Pictured: Black rhino Next page >>

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

A second critically endangered Javan rhino has been found dead in Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon Park has lost another of its critically endangered Javan rhinos.

Because the rhino’s horn was intact, the rhino is likely to have died from natural causes. The male rhino, believed to be about 30 years of age, was found dead in a river. Javan rhinos have a life span of 30 – 45 years.

Indonesian Rhino Foundation head Widodo Ramono said via The Jakarta Globe that fewer than 50 Javan rhinos remain in Ujung Kulon, the last known location of this critically endangered species (Rhinoceros sondaicus).

We have 40 to 50 rhinos here now. If two die, that’s four percent of the population.

There were no signs it had been killed by poachers as its horn was intact. It might have died of old age or illness. We’re still investigating the cause of death and checking if there are other carcasses in the area.

Plans are under way to establish a second habitat for Indonesia’s Javan rhinos, in hopes of encouraging breeding and expanding the population.

A Javan rhino subspecies (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) – with a population of fewer than five individuals – hangs by a thread in Vietnam. Although these rhinos have not been seen by wildlife researchers for years – and the last known photo was taken by a camera trap, possibly in 2006 – poachers still managed to kill one and hack off the horn.

Superstitions about rhino horn driving rhinos to the edge of extinction

Javan rhinos – like all rhino species – are under tremendous threat from illegal killing, fueled by demand for rhino horn in east and southeast Asia. The latest research via the IUCN/SSC and TRAFFIC found that most rhino horn leaving Africa is destined for end-use markets in China and Vietnam.

Persistent superstitions in these regions attribute “healing powers” to rhino horn, despite the fact scientific analysis has confirmed rhino horn has no medicinal effect on humans.

Source: The Jakarta Globe

Photo via International Rhino Foundation

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.