The Fight for Black Rhinoceros Survival Continues

September 8, 2014 admin Africa Wildlife Foundation, Africa's endangered animals, Protecting Rhinos, Tunde Folawiyo, tunde folawiyo africa, tunde folawiyo executive, tunde folawiyo profile

A male black rhino born July 12, 2014 at the San Diego Zoo safari park is bringing attention to the plight of animals targeted by poachers half a world away. The rhino, as yet unnamed, is the fifteenth to be born at the prominent park, and is significant due to the enormous threat faced by his species in the wild. The species is currently classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Wild populations of the black rhinoceros in Africa were estimated around several hundred thousand at the beginning of the twentieth century, but have declined precipitously in the time since. The population reached a low near 2400 in the mid-nineties, and had climbed above four thousand by 2008. One subspecies of the black rhinoceros, the Western black rhinoceros, was declared extinct in 2011.

Among many threats to the species, including destruction of natural habitat and other ill-effects of modernization, poaching remains the largest destructive force against rhinoceros populations in Africa today. As well as their historical use in armour, weaponry and decoration, Rhinoceros horns is in high demand on black markets due to its use in traditional medicine in Asia, where it is ground up and used as an ingredient in elixirs claimed–without any backing by modern science–to treat everything from seizures to nosebleeds. Commercial sale of rhinoceros horns has been prohibited since 1971, but poachers continue to operate outside of the law, and stronger enforcement of existing poaching laws, as well as tougher legislation, is required to assure the preservation of the species.

The World Wildlife Fund is an organisation working actively to prevent the extinction of the black rhinoceros. Their efforts include translocations, where sedated rhinos are airlifted by helicopter from dangerous locations to safer homes in wildlife reserves. The organisation also works with local agencies in Africa to increase security and other measures to raise awareness and fight the efforts of poachers. The WWF also assists in fundraising for preservations, including via their “Adopt an African Rhino” project, where supporters receive an adoption certificate and species information in exchange for their contributions. Many leaders throughout Africa support conservation efforts in order to preserve the region’s native wildlife, including Tunde Folawiyo, whose interests extend from business to conservation, as well as the promotion of African art.

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