World Rhino Day

When is World Rhino Day celebrated?

World Rhino Day takes place every year on the 22nd of September. It’s celebrated by animal rescues, charities, and individuals around the world.

Why do we have World Rhino Day?

World Rhino Day provides an opportunity to share information and organise events designed to raise awareness about rhinos. Rhinos are critically endangered, so we need everyone to understand how unique and vulnerable they are.

It’s especially important to raise awareness of the plight of rhinos because they are regularly poached for their horns which are sold illegally and used in traditional medicine — despite no scientific proof that these remedies work.

Is World Rhino Day always on Sunday?

No. World Rhino Day takes place on the same date (22nd September) every year. It falls on different days of the week.

6 facts about Rhinos

1. There are five species of rhino left in the world; black, white, Sumatran, Javan, and Greater one-horned rhinos. The western black rhino was declared extinct in 2011.
2. Only white and black rhinos live in Africa. The other three species are found in Asia.
3. Black and white rhinos are about the same height (1.4 to 1.8m tall) but white rhinos can weigh twice as much as black rhinos.
4. White rhinos aren’t actually white. Their name comes from a misunderstanding of the Afrikaans word “wyd” which refers to their wide lips.
5. Rhino horns are made from keratin, just like human fingernails and hair. Rhinos are poached for their horns which are used in traditional Asian medicine and for ornaments.
6. African rhinos have a gestation period of around 16 months and give birth to one calf every two to three years. This slow reproduction rate is why rhino numbers take so long to recover from excessive hunting.

Rhinos are targeted for their horns

African rhinos desperately need protection. The near-threatened white rhino is at serious risk with just 16,803 living wild, while the black rhino is critically endangered with only around 6,487 left in the wild. One subspecies of rhino, the western black rhino, became extinct in 2011. Urgent action is needed to prevent more rhino species from facing the same fate.

The main threats to rhinos come from humans. They are poached for their horns which are used in traditional medicine to treat everything from cancer to hangovers, despite no evidence that the remedies work.

Rhino horns are also used to create decorative objects, such as handles for ceremonial daggers known as jambiyas. This high demand makes these animals extremely valuable to poachers who kill an average of 10 African rhinos each week.

Join our fight against the exploitation and commodification of wild animals. Can you lend your voice?

Rhino FAQS

How many species of rhinos are there?

There are five species of rhino, two in Africa and one in Asia.

The two African species of rhinoceros are the black and white rhinos. The three Asian species of rhinoceros are the Sumatran, Javan, and greater one-horned rhinos.

What are rhino horns made of?

Rhino horns are made from keratin, a type of protein that makes up fingernails and hair in humans and hooves and claws in other animals. Rhino horns continue to grow throughout the animal’s lifespan and can even grow back if the horn is trimmed or cut off.

Why are rhinos poached?

Rhinos are poached for their horns, which are used in traditional medicine, as a recreational drug, and to make decorative objects.

Global trade in rhino horn is banned under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora). However, South Africa has overturned the ban and legalised the trade of rhino horn within its own borders.

In a bid to deter poachers, conservationists in Africa have been trimming rhino horns as short as possible. This makes the rhino less attractive to poachers, without hurting the rhino.

What are rhino horns used for?

Rhino horns are used for many different purposes, including

• In traditional medicine, to treat fever, pain, convulsions, and even cancer
• As a recreational drug and a hangover cure, despite many scientific studies showing that rhino horn — made from the same material as our hair and fingernails — has absolutely no medicinal value
• To make decorative objects, like dagger handles and jewellery

Are rhinos endangered?

Yes, rhinos are endangered due to poaching, illegal trade, habitat loss, and habitat fragmentation. According to the IUCN Red List:

• The white rhino is near threatened with a decreasing population
• The black rhino is critically endangered with an increasing population
• The Javan rhinoceros is critically endangered with a stable population
• The Sumatran rhino is critically endangered with a decreasing population
• The greater one-horned rhino is vulnerable with an increasing population

How many white rhinos are left in the world?

There are 10,080 mature white rhinos left in the wild. However, most of these are southern white rhinos. Sadly, there are just two northern white rhinos left in the world, both female. They live under constant protection in Kenya.

How many black rhinos are left?

There are 3,142 mature black rhinos left in the wild today. 

In 1960, there were an estimated 100,000 black rhinos, but large-scale poaching between 1960 and 1995 caused a 98% reduction in the black rhino population.

How many Javan rhinos are left?

There are just 18 mature Javan rhinos left in the wild today, as almost their entire population has fallen victim to poaching and habitat loss. 

While the remaining Javan rhinoceros population lives in a national park, an invasive palm species is preventing the plant that the Javan rhino eats from growing, threatening their future survival. 

What do rhinos eat?

Rhinos are herbivores. They eat shoots, leaves, fruits, buds, berries, and grass, usually during hours of darkness, dawn, and dusk. 

How much does a rhino weigh?

The weight of a rhino varies by species. 

The Sumatran rhino is the smallest species, weighing less than 850 kilograms and measuring 2.5 metres long and 1.5 metres high at the shoulder. Both males and females are of similar size and weight.

The white rhino is the largest species, with males weighing up to 2,400 kilograms. They are up to 4 metres long and nearly 2 metres tall at the shoulder. Females are noticeably smaller.

How fast do rhinos run?

Rhinos may look big and bulky, but they can run surprisingly fast, reaching speeds of 55 kilometres per hour over short distances. 

Rhinos usually run to escape from threats, like predators or humans. However, male rhinos also sometimes run at each other to protect their territory, while young rhinos sometimes run when they’re playing with each other.

What is the natural habitat of a rhino?

Rhino habitat varies according to rhino species.

• Black rhinos inhabit deserts, savannahs and wetter, wooded areas in Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
• White rhinos live in savannah and grassland habitats in South Africa, although populations are being reintroduced to other African countries.
• Sumatran rhinos live in tropical rainforests and montane moss forests in Indonesia in hilly areas near water sources.
• The Javan rhino lives exclusively on the island of Java in lowland tropical rainforest.
• The greater one-horned rhino can be found in India and Nepal in riverside grasslands.