Rhinos
Few rhinos survive outside protected areas
Featured Story
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Brighter Future for Communities and Wildlife
World’s largest transboundary conservation area strengthens economies and preserves animal habitats. Read more
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Saving Rhinos
Relocation efforts help the species as it faces an increasing threat from poachers in South Africa Read more
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Collaborative Effort to Stop Rhino Poaching
287 rhinos poached in South Africa this year. Now, more than ever, we need to curb demand for rhino horn and end poaching. Read more
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The Save Vanishing Species stamp is a new stamp designed to raise money to help protect endangered wildlife and is available at all post offices in the U.S. Read more
Latest News
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Record Rhino Poaching in South Africa
Eight rhinos found dead in one day after a year of record losses Read more
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A Glimmer of Hope
Greater one-horned rhinos start 2012 on a positive note. Read more
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Record Rhino Horn Seizure
On November 15, 2011, customs officials in Hong Kong seized 33 rhino horns that were smuggled from South Africa. Read more
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Demand for rhino horn leads to record poaching
More rhinos have been killed in South Africa in the past 10 months than were killed in all of 2010. Read more
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WWF and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) confirmed the extinction of the Javan rhinoceros in Vietnam on October 25, 2011. Read more
Rhinos once roamed Europe, Asia and Africa and were known by early Europeans who depicted them in cave paintings. In historical times, rhinos were still widespread in the African savannas and the tropical forests of Asia.
Today, very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves. Rhinos are threatened by poaching due to the demand for their horns, and habitat loss, a result of human populations encroaching on the land and the destruction of forests. WWF works to strengthen protected areas in Africa and Asia and stop illegal trade of rhino horns.
Five species of rhino
There are five species of rhino; three are found in Asia and two are found in Africa. Javan, Sumatran and Indian rhinos are found in Asia. Javan and Sumatran rhinos are listed as critically endangered and Indian rhinos are listed as vulnerable. The Javan rhino subspecies in Vietnam was declared extinct on October 25, 2011. A small population of Javan rhinos still exists in Indonesia.
Black rhinos and white rhinos are found in Africa. The white rhino subspecies includes the endangered southern white rhino, the most abundant rhino in the world, and the critically endangered northern white rhino. The four subspecies of the critically endangered black rhino include the eastern, southwestern, southern central and western rhino. The western rhino is thought to be extinct.
© WWF-Canon / Michel GUNTHER
Some populations are increasing
The southern white rhino, once thought to be extinct, and the Indian rhino are thriving in well-protected sanctuaries and their numbers are increasing. Black rhino populations have increased too, but total numbers are still a fraction of what they were fifty years ago.
Physical description
Rhinos are known to sleep both standing and lying on the ground and are fond of standing in muddy pools and sandy riverbeds.
Rhinoceroses are universally recognized because of their massive bodies, short legs and one or two horns. In some rhino species the horn is small and not easily visible. Rhinos have poor eyesight, but their sense of smell and hearing are well developed.
Interesting fact
Egrets and other birds can be found perched on rhinos, feeding on external parasites.
