South-western black rhinoceros

South-western Black Rhinoceros
Conservation status
	Vulnerable
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. It is currently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list. 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. Can be found in arid savannah and desert climates.

Population & Threats

Historically it once roamed in Botswana, South Africa, Angola, and Namibia. But due to poaching their range has decreased. Now the stronghold of the species is Namibia which has 893 individuals or 94.7% of the subspecies living there. 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. Because illegal poaching of this creature has declined its numbers have luckily increased.