September 22 is World Rhino Day
September 22 is World Rhino Day. The endangered animals urgently need better protection from poaching and habitat loss.
In Mozambique and Rwanda, relocation projects are giving hope to rhinos.
After 19 white rhinos were already relocated to Mozambique in July, black rhinos have now also returned to the country.
Seven individuals were relocated from South Africa to Zinave National Park, the Peace Parks Foundation announced this week. Previously, rhinos had been considered extinct in the country on the East African coast for around 40 years.
Further north in Rwanda, the population of white rhinos is recovering slightly, after the animals had also been considered extinct in the East African country in the interim. Thirty of the endangered animals were relocated from South Africa to Rwanda's Akagera National Park a year ago. The group has now produced offspring.
Nevertheless, concern for the animals outweighs the positive news ahead of World Rhino Day on September 22. According to the environmental foundation WWF, Africa's rhino population is declining overall by three percent per year. Last year, it numbered only around 18’000 white rhinos and just under 6’200 black rhinos.
Poaching declined during COVID
In Africa, hundreds of rhinos are killed every year for their horns; in South Africa, the animals are particularly at risk. International trade in rhino horns is prohibited. Yet in Asia, particularly in Vietnam and China, horn is a popular ingredient in traditional medicine and yields high returns.
During the COVID pandemic, poaching and illegal rhino trade did decline due to travel restrictions. However, the situation in East Africa has recently worsened again, as many national parks have had to reduce their staff due to lost revenue from tourism.
Rwanda's government took a different approach. “It has invested in the protection of its national parks, which benefits both the wildlife and the local communities”, said Drew Bantlin, the conservation manager of Rwanda's Akagera National Park.«None of the rhinos newly settled here have fallen victim to poachers». Rwanda is now hoping to attract more tourists.
