Western black rhinoceros

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Western black rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis longipes.jpg
Holotype specimen, a female shot in 1911
Status iucn3.1 EX.svg
Extinct  (2011)  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Rhinocerotidae
Genus: Diceros
Species:
D. bicornis
Subspecies:
†D. b. longipes
Trinomial name
†Diceros bicornis longipes
Zukowsky, 1949

The western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes) or West African black rhinoceros is an extinct subspecies of the black rhinoceros. It was declared extinct by the IUCN in 2011. [1] [2] The western black rhinoceros was believed to have been genetically different from other rhino subspecies. [3] It was once widespread in the savanna of sub-Saharan Africa, but its numbers declined due to poaching. The western black rhinoceros resided primarily in Cameroon, but surveys since 2006 have failed to locate any individuals.

Contents

Taxonomy

This subspecies was named Diceros bicornis longipes by Ludwig Zukowsky in 1949. The word “longipes” is of Latin origin, combining longus (“far, long”) and pēs (“foot”). This refers to the subspecies’ long distal limb segment, one of many special characteristics of the subspecies. Other distinct features of the western black rhino included the square based horn, first mandibular premolar retained in the adults, simple formed crochet of the maxillary premolar, and premolars commonly possessed crista. [4]

The population was first discovered in Southwest Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), North Cameroon, and Northeast Nigeria. [5]

The western black rhinoceros is one of three subspecies of the black rhinoceros to become extinct in historical times, the other two being the southern black rhinoceros and the north-eastern black rhinoceros. [6]

Description

The western black rhinoceros measured 2.8–3.75 m (9.2–12.3 ft) long, had a shoulder height of 1.32–1.8 m (4.3–5.9 ft), and weighed 800–1,400 kg (1,760–3,090 lb) on average, and unusually large male specimens have been reported at up to 2,896 kg (6,385 lb). [7] [8] [9] It had two horns, the first measuring 0.5–1.359 m (1.64–4.46 ft) and the second 2–55 cm (0.79–21.65 in). [7] Like all Black Rhinos, they were browsers, and their common diet included leafy plants and shoots around their habitat. During the morning or evening, they would browse for food. During the hottest parts of the day, they slept or wallowed. [10] They inhabited much of sub-Saharan Africa. [11] Many people believe their horns held medicinal value, which led to heavy poaching. However, this belief has no grounding in scientific fact. [11] Like most black rhinos, they are believed to have been nearsighted and would often rely on local birds, such as the red-billed oxpecker, to help them detect incoming threats. [12]

Distribution

The black rhino, of which the western black rhinoceros is a subspecies, was most commonly located in several countries towards the southeast region of the continent of Africa. The native countries of the black rhino included Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. [13] There were several subspecies found in the western and southern countries of Tanzania through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, to the northern and north-western and north-eastern parts of South Africa. The Black Rhino's most abundant population was found in South Africa and Zimbabwe, with a smaller population found in southern Tanzania. The Western subspecies of the Black Rhino was last recorded in Cameroon but is now considered to be extinct. [2] However, other subspecies were introduced again into Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, and Zambia. [13]

Population and decline

The western black rhinoceros was hunted heavily in the beginning of the 20th century, but the population rose in the 1930s after preservation actions were taken. As protection efforts declined over the years, so did the number of western black rhinos. By 1980, the population was in the hundreds. No animals are known to be held in captivity; however, it was believed in 1988 that approximately 20–30 were being kept for breeding purposes. [14] Poaching continued and, by 2000, only an estimated ten western black rhinos survived. In 2001, this number dwindled to only five. While it was believed that around thirty still existed in 2004, this was later found to be based upon falsified data. [15]

The western black rhino emerged about seven to eight million years ago. It was a sub-species of the black rhino. For much of the 20th century, its population was the highest out of all of the rhino species, at almost 850,000 individuals. There was a 96% population decline in black rhinos, including the western black rhino, between 1970 and 1992. Widespread poaching is concluded to be partly responsible for bringing the species close to extinction, along with farmers killing rhinos to defend their crops in areas close to rhino territories. [16] [17]

The sub-species officially was declared extinct in 2011, [15] with its last sighting reported in 2006 in Cameroon's Northern Province. [18] [19]

In 2006, for six months, the NGO Symbiose and veterinarians Isabelle and Jean-François Lagrot with their local teams examined the common roaming ground of Diceros bicornis longipes in the northern province of Cameroon to assess the status of the last population of the western black rhino subspecies. For this experiment, 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) of patrol effort resulted in no sign of rhino presence over the course of six months. The teams had concluded that the rhino was extinct approximately five years before it was officially declared so by the IUCN. [15]

Protection attempts

There were many attempts to revive the western black and northern white rhinoceroses. Rhino sperm was conserved in order to artificially fertilize females to produce offspring. Some attempts were successful, but most experiments failed due to different reasons, including stress and reduced time in the wild. [20]

In 1999, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) published a report called "African Rhino: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan." This report recommended that all surviving specimens of the western black rhino should be captured and placed in a specific region of modern Cameroon, in order to facilitate monitoring and reduce the attack rates of poachers. This experiment failed due to corruption. [21] It demanded a large amount of money, and the risk of failure was very high.

Western black rhinos were conserved in National Conservative parks, which did not halt their extinction. To monitor and protect white rhinos, WWF focuses on better-integrated intelligence gathering networks on rhino poaching and trade, more antipoaching patrols and better-equipped conservation law enforcement officers. WWF is setting up an Africa-wide rhino database using rhino horn DNA analysis (RhoDIS), which contributes to forensic investigations at the scene of the crime and for court evidence to greatly strengthen prosecution cases. WWF supports accredited training in environmental and crime courses, some of which have been adopted by South Africa Wildlife College. Special prosecutors have been appointed in countries like Kenya and South Africa to prosecute rhino crimes in a bid to deal with the mounting arrests and bring criminals to face swift justice with commensurate penalties.

Traditional Chinese medicine

In the 1950s, Mao Zedong effectively encouraged traditional Chinese medicine in an attempt to counter Western influences. While attempting to modernize this industry, several species were hunted. According to the official data published by the SATCM, 11,146 botanical and 1,581 zoological species, as well as 80 minerals were used. [22] The western black rhino was hunted due to the value of its horn, which was believed to have the power to cure specific ailments and to be effective at detecting poisons (due to its high alkaline content). [23] Price for horns could be high; for example 1 kg of horn could cost more than $50,000, and the extinction of the species only increases the rarity and value of the horn. [24]

Other uses for the horn

Rhino horns were used in making ceremonial knife handles called "Janbiya". [25] The hilt type known as saifani uses rhinoceros horn as material and is a symbol of wealth and status due to its cost.

In modern times, horns of other rhinoceros species are very valuable and can cost up to $100,000 per kg in places of high demand (e.g. Vietnam). An average horn may weigh between 1 and 3 kg. While locally respected doctors in Vietnam vouch for the rhino horns' cancer-curing properties, there is no scientific evidence for this or any other imputed medical property of the horns. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perissodactyla</span> Order of hoofed mammals

Perissodactyla is an order of ungulates. The order includes about 17 living species divided into three families: Equidae, Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses), and Tapiridae (tapirs). They typically have reduced the weight-bearing toes to three or one of the five original toes, though tapirs retain four toes on their front feet. The nonweight-bearing toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or positioned posteriorly. By contrast, artiodactyls bear most of their weight equally on four or two of the five toes: their third and fourth toes. Another difference between the two is that perissodactyls digest plant cellulose in their intestines, rather than in one or more stomach chambers as artiodactyls, with the exception of Suina, do.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big five game</span> African game-hunting species

In Africa, the Big five game animals are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo. The term was coined by big-game hunters to refer to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot, but is now more widely used by game viewing tourists and safari tour operators. They are examples of charismatic megafauna, featuring prominently in popular culture, and are among the most famous of Africa's large animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javan rhinoceros</span> Rare species of rhinoceros from Asia

The Javan rhinoceros, Javan rhino, Sunda rhinoceros or lesser one-horned rhinoceros is a critically endangered member of the genus Rhinoceros, of the rhinoceros family, Rhinocerotidae, and one of the five remaining extant rhinoceros species across South Asia and Africa. The Javan rhinoceros is one of the smallest rhinoceros species, along with the Sumatran, or "hairy", rhinoceros. They are superficially similar to Indian rhinos, as they have plate-like, "armored" protective skin folds, but are slightly smaller, at just 3.1–3.2 m (10–10 ft) long and 1.4–1.7 m (4.6–5.6 ft) tall, on average. The heaviest specimens weigh around 2,300 kg/2.3 tonnes, similar to a black rhinoceros. However, unlike the long and potentially lethal horns of the black or white rhinoceroses of Africa, the Javan species' single, somewhat blunted horn is usually shorter than 25 cm (9.8 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black rhinoceros</span> Species of mammal

The black rhinoceros is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern Africa and southern Africa, including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Although the species is referred to as black, its colours vary from brown to grey. It is the only extant species of the genus Diceros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran rhinoceros</span> Critically Endangered species of small Asian rhinoceros

The Sumatran rhinoceros, also known as the Sumatran rhino, hairy rhinoceros or Asian two-horned rhinoceros, is a rare member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant species of rhinoceros; it is the only extant species of the genus Dicerorhinus. It is the smallest rhinoceros, although it is still a large mammal; it stands 112–145 cm (44–57 in) high at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length of 2.36–3.18 m and a tail of 35–70 cm (14–28 in). The weight is reported to range from 500–1,000 kg (1,100–2,200 lb), averaging 700–800 kg (1,540–1,760 lb). Like both African species, it has two horns; the larger is the nasal horn, typically 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in), while the other horn is typically a stub. A coat of reddish-brown hair covers most of the Sumatran rhino's body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhinoceros</span> Family of mammals

A rhinoceros, commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae; it can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species of the superfamily Rhinocerotoidea. Two of the extant species are native to Africa, and three to South and Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian rhinoceros</span> Species of rhinoceros

The Indian rhinoceros, also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, great Indian rhinoceros, or Indian rhino for short, is a rhinoceros species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the second largest extant species of rhinoceros, with adult males weighing 2.07–2.2 tonnes and adult females 1.6 tonnes. The skin is thick and is grey-brown in colour with pinkish skin folds. They have a single horn on their snout that grows to a maximum of 57.2 cm (22.5 in). Their upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and aside from the eyelashes, ear fringes and tail brush, Indian rhinoceroses are nearly hairless.

<i>Diceros</i> Genus of Rhinocerotidae

Diceros is a genus of rhinoceros containing the extant black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and several extinct species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White rhinoceros</span> Species of large land mammal

The white rhinoceros, white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros is the largest extant species of rhinoceros. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. The white rhinoceros consists of two subspecies: the southern white rhinoceros, with an estimated 16,803 wild-living animals, and the much rarer northern white rhinoceros. The northern subspecies has very few remaining individuals, with only two confirmed left in 2018. Sudan, the world's last known male northern white rhinoceros, died in Kenya on 19 March 2018 at age 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern black rhinoceros</span> Critically endangered rhinoceros subspecies

The eastern black rhinoceros, also known as the East African black rhinoceros, is a subspecies of the black rhinoceros. Its numbers are very low due to poaching for its horn, and it is listed as critically endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South-central black rhinoceros</span> Subspecies of rhino

The south-central black rhinoceros, also known as the south-central hook-lipped rhinoceros or the lesser black rhino, is a subspecies of the black rhinoceros. In keeping with the rules of zoological nomenclature, the south-central black rhinoceros should be known as Diceros bicornis keitloa, a nomen novum. Although it is the most numerous of the black rhinoceros subspecies, it is nevertheless designated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Like other black rhinoceros subspecies, it has a prehensile lip and lives in savanna habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South-western black rhinoceros</span> Subspecies of the black rhinoceros

The south-western black rhinoceros is a subspecies of the black rhinoceros, living in southwestern Africa. It is currently listed as near threatened by the IUCN. The biggest threat towards the subspecies is illegal poaching.

Functional extinction is the extinction of a species or other taxon such that:

  1. It disappears from the fossil record, or historic reports of its existence cease;
  2. The reduced population no longer plays a significant role in ecosystem function;
  3. The population is no longer viable. There are no individuals able to reproduce, or the small population of breeding individuals will not be able to sustain itself due to inbreeding depression and genetic drift, which leads to a loss of fitness.
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern black rhinoceros</span> Extinct subspecies of mammal

The southern black rhinoceros, southern hook-lipped rhinoceros or Cape rhinoceros is an extinct subspecies of the black rhinoceros that was once abundant in South Africa from the Cape Province to Transvaal, southern Namibia, and possibly also Lesotho and southern Botswana. Zoos, animal sanctuaries and conservation centers use this same scientific name as an indicating reference to the surviving south-central black rhinoceros. This former species was brought to extinction by excessive hunting and habitat destruction around 1850.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern white rhinoceros</span> Subspecies of rhinoceros

The southern white rhinoceros or southern white rhino is one of the two subspecies of the white rhinoceros. It is the most common and widespread subspecies of rhinoceros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bornean rhinoceros</span> Subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros

The Bornean rhinoceros, also known as the eastern Sumatran rhinoceros or eastern hairy rhinoceros, is one of three subspecies of Sumatran rhinoceros. The subspecies was feared to be functionally extinct, with only one individual, a female named Pahu, surviving in captivity, and held in the state of Sabah. In April 2015, the Malaysian government declared the Bornean rhinoceros to be extinct in the wild in the Malaysian portion of Borneo. However, in March 2016, a young female rhino was captured in East Kalimantan, providing evidence of their continued existence. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the subspecies as critically endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Species affected by poaching</span>

Many species are affected by poaching, including illegal hunting, fishing and capturing of wild animals, and, in a recent usage, the illegal harvesting of wild plant species. The article provides an overview of species currently endangered or impaired by poaching in the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and South-East Asia.

<i>Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus</i> Subspecies of mammal

The Vietnamese Javan rhinoceros, also known as the Indo-Chinese Javan rhinoceros, is an extinct subspecies of the Javan rhinoceros that formerly lived in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The subspecific term annamiticus derives from the Annamite name of the Indochinese Mountains in Indochina, part of the historical distribution of the subspecies.

References

  1. 1 2 Emslie, R. (2020). "Diceros bicornis ssp. longipes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T39319A45814470. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T39319A45814470.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Boettcher, Daniel (November 8, 2013). "Western black rhino declared extinct". BBC. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  3. ↑ "Western Black Rhino Poached Out of Existence; Declared Extinct, Slack Anti-Poaching Efforts Responsible". International Business Times. 2011-11-14. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Groves, Colin; Grubb, Peter (November 1, 2011). Ungulate Taxonomy (PDF). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 25–26. ISBN   978-1421400938.
  5. ↑ Smith, Hillman K.; Groves, C. P. (1994). "Diceros bicornis" (PDF). Mammalian Species (455): 1–8, figs. 1–3. doi:10.2307/3504292. JSTOR   3504292. S2CID   253955264. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-11.
  6. ↑ Rookmaaker, L. C.; Groves, C. P. (1978). "The extinct Cape Rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis bicornis (Linnaeus, 1758)" (PDF). Säugetierkundliche Mitteilungen. 26 (2): 117–126.
  7. 1 2 Hillman-Smith, A.K.K. & Groves, C.P. (1994). "Diceros bicornis" (PDF). Mammalian Species (455): 1–8. doi:10.2307/3504292. JSTOR   3504292. S2CID   253955264.
  8. ↑ Kurnit, Jennifer. "Diceros bicornis black rhinoceros". Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu.
  9. ↑ Black Rhinoceros Archived 2014-12-02 at the Wayback Machine , Arkive
  10. ↑ "Black Rhino – Diceros bicornis". Rhino Research Center. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  11. 1 2 Gwin, Peter (March 2012). "Rhino Wars". National Geographic. 221 (3): 106–20. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  12. ↑ Plotz, Roan (May–June 2012). "Burdened Beast" (PDF). Australian Geographic. 108: 16–17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-21.
  13. 1 2 Emslie, R. (2020). "Diceros bicornis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T6557A152728945. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T6557A152728945.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Cohn, Jeffery P. (1988). "Halting the rhino's demise" (PDF). BioScience. 38 (11): 740–744. doi:10.2307/1310780. JSTOR   1310780.
  15. 1 2 3 Lagrot, Isabelle (2007). "Probable extinction of the western black rhino, Diceros bicornis longipes: 2006 survey in northern Cameroon". Pachyderm (PDF). 43: 19–28. Archived from the original on 2010-04-09.
  16. ↑ "How the Western Black Rhino Went Extinct". Scientific American.
  17. ↑ "Africa's Western Black Rhino Declared Extinct". Voice of America.
  18. ↑ Coffin, Bill (2013). "The Western Black Rhino [Extinct 2013]". National Underwriter/Life & Health Financial Services. 117 (8): 48. Archived from the original on 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  19. ↑ Harley, E. H.; Baumgarten, I; Cunningham, J; O'Ryan, C (2005). "Genetic variation and population structure in remnant populations of black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, in Africa" (PDF). Molecular Ecology. 14 (10): 2981–90. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02660.x. PMID   16101768. S2CID   43768875. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-26.
  20. ↑ "White rhino extinction". WWF.
  21. ↑ "Black Rhino | Species | WWF". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  22. ↑ Xu, Q.; Bauer, R.; Hendry, B. M.; Fan, T. P.; Zhao, Z.; Duez, P.; Simmonds, M. S.; Witt, C. M.; Lu, A.; Robinson, N.; Guo, D. A.; Hylands, P. J. (2013). "The quest for modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 13: 132. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-132 . PMC   3689083 . PMID   23763836. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  23. ↑ "Rhino Horn Use: Fact vs. Fiction". Nature (TV series) . PBS. 2010-08-20. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  24. ↑ "Why Does a Rhino Horn Cost $300,000? Because Vietnam Thinks It Cures Cancer and Hangovers". The Atlantic. 2013-05-15.
  25. ↑ Platt, John R. (13 November 2013). "How the Western Black Rhino became extinct". Scientific American.
  26. ↑ Guilford, Gywnn (13 May 2013). "Why Does a Rhino Horn Cost $300,000? Because Vietnam Thinks It Cures Cancer and Hangovers". The Atlantic.
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