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Natalie Smith

Lisa Cook

ENG 1201.B55

9 July 2020

Rhino Species: Heading Towards Extinction

It might not be a surprise that many species face the risk of extinction, but rhinos are

decreasing at an alarming rate. Within a century, the rhino population has fallen in the thousands

due to poaching and habitat loss. Rhinos are ideal candidates for poaching due to their horns

being a hot commodity in the illegal wildlife trade. Habitat loss has confined rhinos into smaller

areas and groups, allowing for inbreeding and genetic problems contributing to population loss.

How can the rhino species be saved from extinction?

The Prevention of Organized Crime Act of 1998 is an act of government by the

Parliament of South Africa. The first issue with this act is that it stops poachers within South

Africa, while those that cross the border can't be charged. The second issue is that the statistics of

poached rhinos are skewed due to the differing definition of what the conviction rate means. The

Limpopo Environmental Management Act helps in the prosecution of rhino horn poachers and

has been used in multiple cases. According to the Criminal Procedure Act 55 of 1977, "Poaching

is not recognized as among the schedule 5 offences" (Nanima). This means that rhino poaching

is not seen as a severe crime that aligns with other poaching crime acts and laws passed by South

Africa. Therefore, South Africa is not doing enough legally to protect the rhino species.
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"It has been estimated that African rhinos could already become extinct in the wild

around the year 2036" (Eikelboom). South Africa has used many tactics to decrease the value

and interest in rhino horns through anti-poacher rangers, educating the public, and distributing

synthetic or dyed horns into the trade. Although there is a ban on the rhino horn trade, poaching

rates continue to increase. Eikelboom and others suggest lifting the ban to create a competing

market and increasing breading value to decrease poaching rates. The prohibition to be raised

depends on the economic market and lawmakers' decisions based on consumption and

regulation.

Security measures and regulation are the main tactics used to prevent poaching. Patton

suggests increasing the rhino population to save the species from extinction rather than put band-

aids of prevention on the issue. To rid the inbreeding problem that increases the risk of

genetically related deaths, there should be a change in sex ratios and genetic diversity

implemented by a monitor program. Although poaching is a factor in rhino deaths, early

intervention is vital to prevent the loss of rhino species through breeding and habitat monitoring.

As a whole, the rhino species are at risk for extinction, but not as close to the edge of the

Northern white rhino is with female reproductive difficulties. This leaves in virto fertilization as

the only viable option for saving the species from extinction. The reproduction process is a long,

unpredictable effort that is executed through "eventual implantation into surrogate southern

white females, to produce a viable population of Northern white calves that can be used as a

platform for the eventual reintroduction of this species to the wild" (Vigne). The Ol Pejeta

Conservatory has been criticized for the high costs of the in vitro fertilization, but this doesn't

hinder their hopes of influencing an increase in reproduction efforts of other endangered species.
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In 2018 the last male northern white rhino died, leaving experts to look for other methods

of saving the species. McKie believes that it's our human duty to save the Northern white rhino

species because we caused the problem through rhino horn poaching. Although the male species

is gone, scientists preserved semen samples that can be used in the virto fertilization process.

Complications arise with impregnating the two surviving females due to old age, which leads to

an alternative carrying method of surrogacy through different rhino species. Once the Northern

white rhino species is saved could lead to a potential domino effect in the endangered species

world.

Overall, past efforts to save the species through flawed laws have led to an increase in

rhino deaths. The supply and demand created by South African laws have increased the demand

for rhino horns due to limited access. If the demand is pointed in the direction of breeding, the

species population could grow substantially. Alternative breading methods could save

endangered species with small populations and reproductive complications. Immediate action is

needed to save the rhino species with less focus on costs.

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Works Cited

Nanima, Robert. “The Prevention of Organised Crime Act 1998: The Need for Extraterritorial

Jurisdiction to Prosecute the Higher Echelons of Those Involved in Rhino Poaching.”

Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, vol. 22, Oct. 2019. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.17159/1727-3781/2019/v22i0a5194.

Eikelboom, Jasper A. J., et al. “Will Legal International Rhino Horn Trade Save Wild Rhino

Populations?” Global Ecology and Conservation, vol. 23, Sept. 2020. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01145.

McKie, Robin. "How IVF and Stem Cell Science Could Save the Northern White Rhino From

Extinction." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2020. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints, https://link-gale-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/VCLKMZ914119202/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC

&xid=a978de5b. Accessed 9 July 2020. Originally published as "How IVF and stem cell

science could save the northern white rhino from extinction," The Guardian, 24 Mar.

2018.

Patton, Felix. “Saving African Rhinos: Time for a Theory of Change?” Swara, vol. 44, no.

4, Oct. 2019, pp. 20–27. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=asn&AN=139360066&site=eds-live.

Vigne, Richard. “Quest to Save the Northern White Rhino.” Swara, vol. 45, no. 1, Jan. 2020,

pp. 22–25. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=asn&AN=141528850&site=eds-live.