Some good news: Black Rhino populations increase in Africa

(19 Mar 2020) LEAD IN:
Good news for conservationists – the number of African Black Rhinos is increasing, according to a new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The organization says the species has made a slow recovery, with a population growth of around 2.5 percent each year between 2012 and 2018.
But one environmentalist involved in conservation says rhinos remain at risk and the news should be treated with caution.

STORY-LINE :
This Black Rhino was one of six transported to Chad from South Africa in May 2018. The critically endangered species was last seen in Chad in the late 1980s.
It's conservation efforts like these that have helped animal experts increase rhino populations across Africa.
The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, published Thursday (March 19), says the number of African Black Rhinos is slowly increasing, though the species remains 'critically endangered'.
According to the IUCN, the population of Black Rhinos (Diceros bicornis) has seen an annual growth rate of 2.5 percent between 2012 and 2018, increasing the wild population from 4,845 to 5,630.
The IUCN expect this growth to continue over the next five years.
One sub species, the South-Western Black Rhino, which was previously assessed as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN is now classed as 'near threatened', as it has seen "sufficient population growth of the last three generations".
Two other subspecies the South-eastern and Eastern Black Rhino, are still considered 'critically endangered'.
Paula Kahumbu, wildlife conservationist and CEO of charity WildlifeDirect, says although the news is welcome, it should be treated with caution.
"Here in East Africa, the Eastern Black Rhino is actually still in a critically endangered situation and of course the Northern White Rhino, there are only two individuals left," she says.
"So, their results, I think, we have to take it very cautiously."
Najin and Fatu - seen here at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Nanyuki, Kenya along with a Southern White Rhino - are the only remaining female Northern White Rhinos in the world. There are no longer any males.
The IUCN says growth in the Black Rhino population is due to effective law enforcement and population management.
That means when the population has increased, some rhinos are moved elsewhere to avoid interbreeding.
"We have to keep either expanding those landscapes, but also moving and crossing some of the adults, so that there is no inbreeding," says Kahumbu.
"This has worked really well, and we've been able to achieve over four percent of population increase in this country by doing that strategy."
But relocating rhinos is not without its issues.
In June 2018, a group of eleven critically endangered Black Rhinos where moved to the newly created Tsavo East National Park from Nairobi.
All eleven animals didn't survive. Most died from drinking saltier water than they were used to in their previous habitat, one died due to injuries from a lion attack.
"The main threats to rhinos apart from poachers are actually lions, who go after their calves, and so in many places, it's really important to have actual security around the rhinos all the time," says Kahumbu.
But the main threat to rhinos remains poaching.
"There are three major challenges still facing rhinos today. The first is the demand for rhino horn in Asia. So long as that demand remains, the price will stay high and the incentive for poaching will continue across Africa," says Kahumbu.
Decades of poaching have taken a heavy toll on rhino species.
The White Rhino is also under threat.

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