Great news! The number of African Black Rhinos has risen by nearly 800 over a six-year period, according to a recent report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The IUCN states that the dramatic improvement of this species’ numbers is all thanks to conservation efforts to save them from extinction due to poaching and illegal trade. The black rhino population saw yearly growth of 2.5% between 2012 to 2018, with the number going up from 4,845 to 5,630.
IUCN clarifies that the species is still critically endangered but we can expect the growth to continue within the next five years.
“These developments for African rhinos show the changes that can be achieved through committed conservation action,” said Dr. Jane Smart, Global Director of the IUCN Biodiversity Conservation Group. “It is crucial that local people are increasingly involved in and benefit from conservation efforts. International, national and local actors need to work together to tackle the biodiversity crisis. It will be critical for the voices of those working in the field to protect threatened species such as African Rhinos to be amplified in coming years as we set the conservation agenda for the next decade.”
(ALSO READ: 5,000 Koalas Die in Australian Bushfires, and People Want Them Declared Endangered)
This was definitely something we needed to hear right now to lift our spirits. What are your thoughts about this news? Let us know in the comments!
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