World Rhino Day is annually observed across the globe on September 22 to create awareness about all five species of rhino and recognise the efforts taken towards the conservation of rhinos.
- 22nd September 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of World Rhino day.
The theme of World Rhino Day 2021 is “Keep the Five Alive”.
Background:
i.In 2010, World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF)-South Africa announced to celebrate world rhino day on 22nd September.
ii.Since 2011 the world rhino day has been observed globally.
About Rhinoceros:
i.Rhinoceroses are large herbivorous mammals, among the 5 species(Sumatran rhino; Black Rhino; Greater one-horned rhino; Javan rhino and White rhino) 2 are native to Africa, and 3 are native to South and Southeast Asia.
ii.Greater one-horned rhino found in India and Nepal, Sumatran rhino found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo; and the Javan rhino that is found only in one protected area on the island of Java, Indonesia.
iii.The word “rhinoceros” is derived from the Greek words “rhino” (nose) and “ceros” (horn).
Conservation of Rhinos:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the greater one-horned rhino as Vulnerable; Javan, Sumatran, and black rhinos as Critically Endangered and white rhinos as Near Threatened.
Challenges faced by rhinos:
i.The Rhinos are threatened by the illegal trade of rhino horn across Asia particularly China and Vietnam where it is used in Traditional medicines.
ii.The international trade in rhino horn has been banned under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora) since 1977.
