[micro feature: ecology and environment] global rhino population slightly recovers, but poaching threat remains high
2024-09-23
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[xinhua news agency micro special] the annual report released by the international rhino foundation this month shows that the number of wild rhinos in the world will slightly increase in 2023 compared to 2022, but poaching remains the number one threat facing wild rhinos.
a report released by the international rhino foundation on its official website said that it is estimated that the number of wild rhinos in the world will be close to 28,000 in 2023, a slight increase from 2022, but still a big gap compared to the 500,000 in the early 20th century.
specifically, the number of white rhinos increased from 15,942 in 2022 to 17,464 in 2023; the number of black rhinos and one-horned rhinos were 6,421 and 4,014 respectively, both roughly the same as in 2022; there were different opinions on the specific number of javan rhinos, and the report estimated that there were about 50; the estimated number of sumatran rhinos was 34 to 47.
although the number of white rhinos has recovered slightly overall, it is regrettable that the northern white rhino, as one of the subspecies, is extremely endangered, and the only two northern white rhinos left in the world are both female. researchers have previously preserved in vitro fertilization embryos of northern white rhinos and are trying to select surrogate individuals from other species of rhinos.
the report said that wild rhinos face multiple threats such as habitat loss and climate change, but poaching remains the number one threat to wild rhinos. a total of 586 wild rhinos were killed in africa in 2023, compared with 551 in 2022.
according to the report, most rhino poaching occurs in south africa, which currently has more than 16,000 wild rhinos.
