In case you missed it, yesterday, 22nd September 2016, was World Rhino Day, and while the recent poaching figures seem to indicate that we have nothing to celebrate, all 5 protected species are still alive, and a global effort is now in place to help protect the rhino (and the elephant), from extinction.
At the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in Hawaii earlier this month, the majority of the 217 state members agreed to shut down their domestic ivory markets in a bid to put an end to the ever-growing demand for ivory and rhino horn, and those countries against the total ban (namely Namibia, Japan and South Africa) were urged to do so as “a matter of urgency”.
Nearly a third of Africa’s Savanah elephants were wiped out between 2007 and 2014, and over 1000 rhinos are poached every year in South Africa alone, and if we continue at this rate, both species could be extinct in the wild within just 25 years…
But changes are being made, and for that reason, we should be celebrating World Rhino Day, and after taking a look at these gorgeous guys below, I’m sure you’ll agree, they are most definitely worth saving!!
