South-western black rhinoceros

South-western Black Rhinoceros
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	Rhinocerotidae
Genus:	Diceros
Species:	D. bicornis
Subspecies:	D. b. bicornis
Trinomial name
Diceros bicornis bicornis Linnaeus, 1758

The South-western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis) is a subspecies of the Black Rhinoceros. The biggest threat towards the subspecies Diceros bicornis bicornis is illegal poaching.

Description

The South-western Black Rhino, like all Black Rhino subspecies, has a distinct prehensile lip and is a browser. It differs from the others because it has the largest and straightest horn. They also are most adapted to arid habitat and can be found in arid savanna and desert climates.

Population & Threats

Historically, this subspecies once roamed in Botswana, South Africa, Angola, and Namibia, but their current range has decreased. The stronghold of the species is primarily in Namibia which has 893 individuals or 94.7% of the subspecies living there. They have also been recently re-introduced to South Africa. The population has more than doubled from only 300 in 1980. According to the last estimate in 2001 there are 943 individuals and none in captivity.

References

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/39318/summ

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/39318/dist

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/39318/doc

http://www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/blackrhino/subspecies/southw.htm

External links

http://www.rhinos-irf.org/ (The International Rhino Foundation dedicated to the conservation of rhinos)