The Black Rhino
The black rhinoceros or the black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros is part of the Diceros bicornis genus. Black Rhinos-a browser that consumes significant roughage, like the thorny branches of acacia or fleshy plants like euphorbia-has a pointed lip that helps them feed on leaves from bushes and trees. These mammals are indigenous to eastern and southern Africa.
Rhinos are a crucial entity to the ecosystem and their importance has been less than undermined. At the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia. By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. These animals were meant to be roaming on land freely without the interference of human lives and their malpractices. However, to protect these jewels of the animal kingdom they are not caged off into zoos being robbed of their freedom.
So, how do Rhinos contribute to the ecosystem?
Geo-forming – fundamentally reshaping the land around them over time.
When a Rhino 'wallows' it not only helps them cool themselves off and protect their skin from insects and sun, but it also serves as an advantage to the forest ecosystem.
Wallowing helps to create natural water holes and keep existing water holes open. Each time a rhino wallows, a considerable amount of mud is removed and, as it dries or is rubbed off, the fertile alluvial soil that accumulates in dams and natural waterholes is distributed far and wide, enriching the soil.
Spreading nutrients and providing the basis of complex food chains
Rhinos consume more than 50kg of vegetation per day and deposit more than 20kg of dung. Females wander around their home ranges depositing manure and males wander around their territories, creating dung’ middens’ as a territorial marking mechanism. This dung fertilizes the soil and provides livelihoods for many other species. Once the waste is deposited, it’s not long before dung beetles arrive at the party.
Rhinos share their habitat with a multitude of other plant and animal species. The protection of rhinos also helps protect the ecosystems on which they depend, as well as other species. They also contribute to economic growth and sustainable development through tourism, which creates job opportunities and provides tangible benefits to local communities living alongside rhinos.
Black Rhinos are currently critically endangered animals and make it to the Appendix 1 list. The greatest threat to black rhinos is poaching to satisfy the demand for traditional Chinese medicine in East Asia. Demand exists in some Middle Eastern countries as well for use as traditional dagger handles. A resurgence of poaching began in 2008 and has been increasing. With persistent conservation efforts across Africa, black rhino numbers have doubled from their historic low 20 years ago to around 5,500 today. However, the black rhino is still considered critically endangered, and a lot of work remains to bring the numbers up to even a fraction of what it once was—and to ensure that it stays there. Wildlife crime—in this case, poaching and black-market trafficking of rhino horn—continues to plague the species and threaten its recovery.
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