Rhinoceros (Family: Rhinocerotidae)

Species & Subspecies

Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
Status/Trend/Population (2012): Near Threatened / Increasing / 20,170 wild individuals
Threats: Poaching driven by demand for ineffective traditional medicines

Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)
Status/Trend/Population (2016): Critically Endangered / Decreasing / Three left in captivity worldwide; one male, two females; wild population believed to be extinct
Threats: Rampant poaching sealed the fate of the Northern White. The only threat to it's survival now lies within trying to save it. The only way to save the remaining Northern White is to inter-breed them with the Southern White, which will render the subspecies extinct. So far, all attempts to breed the remaining captive population have failed.

Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
Status/Trend/Population (2015): Critically Endangered / Decreasing / 3 captive individuals, <100 wild individuals
Threats: Poaching driven by demand for ineffective traditional medicines; reduced genetic diversity

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
Threats: Poaching driven by demand for ineffective traditional medicines and ceremonial daggers

Eastern Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli)
Status/Trend/Population (2011): Critically Endangered / Increasing / 740 wild individuals on the continent of Africa

South-Central Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) (Not pictured)
Status/Trend/Population (2012): Critically Endangered / Increasing / 2,116 wild individuals

South-Western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis) (Not pictured)
Status/Trend/Population (2011): Vulnerable / Increasing / 1,920 wild individuals

Western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis longipes) (Not pictured)
Status (2011): Extinct due to poaching

Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Status/Trend/Population (2008): Vulnerable / Increasing / 2,575 wild individuals
Threats: Poaching driven by demand for ineffective traditional medicines; habitat loss and degradation; invasive vegetation

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
Threats: Poaching driven by demand for ineffective traditional medicines; inbreeding

Indonesian Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus sondaicus)
Status/Trend/Population (2008): Critically Endangered / Unknown / 46-66 wild individuals. The Indonesian Javan is the only surviving subspecies of Javan rhinos left, and if immediate and effective conservation actions are not taken, will likely not survive the next century

Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus)
Status (2011): Extinct due to poaching

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LAST UPDATED: APRIL 2016