{"id":35833,"date":"2013-04-27T06:09:24","date_gmt":"2013-04-27T10:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=35833"},"modified":"2013-04-27T06:09:24","modified_gmt":"2013-04-27T10:09:24","slug":"black-rhino-still-near-extinction-western-subspecies-still-extinct-pictures-of-a-disappearing-animal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/black-rhino-still-near-extinction-western-subspecies-still-extinct-pictures-of-a-disappearing-animal\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Rhino Still Near Extinction, Western Subspecies Still Extinct : Pictures Of A Disappearing Animal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The black rhino, also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros, is a critically endangered species of rhinoceros, that was previously endemic throughout much of Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa, and also to certain regions in West Africa.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/a>
Image Credit: Black Rhino Ngorongoro<\/a> via Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The species has seen a dramatic drop in population numbers and genetic diversity in recent years. Many of the subspecies are now extinct; the Southern Black Rhinoceros, the North-Eastern Black Rhinoceros, the Chobe Black Rhinoceros, and the Western Black Rhinoceros, are all extinct. The remaining species are of very limited genetic stock and will likely face significant problems because of this, including: inbreeding and the problems that accompany this, increased susceptibility to disease, loss of adaptability to changing environments\/climate, etc.<\/p>\n

As recently as 1900, there were still an estimated few hundred thousand or so black rhinos left in the world, today there are only about 4,000 or so. And these 4,000 are living in relatively small populations that are completely intersected and separated by human development. Which means that the separate populations can not easily interact\/breed.<\/p>\n