| Western Black Rhinoceros | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| 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 |
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The Western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes) or West African Black Rhinoceros was the rarest of the Black Rhino subspecies, and on 7 July 2006, it was tentatively declared extinct. It was once widespread in the savanna of central-west Africa but declined from poaching.
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Description
The Western Black Rhinoceros length was 10–12.5 ft (3.0–3.8 m) long, a height of 4.5–5.5 ft (1.4–1.7 m) and weight of 1,750–3,000 lb (790–1,360 kg). They had two horns, the first measuring 1.8–4.4 ft (0.55–1.3 m) and the second 1–22 in (2.5–56 cm). Like all Black Rhinos they were browsers and could be found on the savanna.
Population and Decline
The Western Black Rhinoceros was heavily hunted 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. Poaching continued and by 2000 only an estimated 10 survived. In early 2006 an intensive survey of northern Cameroon (the last remaining habitat of the species) found none. Upon this news the IUCN declared Diceros bicornis longipes tentatively extinct. The illegal poaching, limited anti-poaching efforts, failure of courts to hand down sentences to punish poachers and more all contributed to the species' demise. There is still a small hope of the rhino's continued existence, in that there may still be a small number of individuals left which may be rediscovered in the future (hence "tentatively" extinct), but the chance of this has been estimated as small. No animals are known to be held in captivity.
Resources
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2260631,00.html
http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/speciesinfo/westernblackrhino.htm
http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/39319/doc
http://www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/blackrhino/subspecies/western.htm
External links
- International Rhino Fund Organization dedicated to the conservation of rhinos
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Wikispecies has information related to: Diceros bicornis longipes |
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