WORLD RHINO DAY: 22 SEPTEMBER

WORLD RHINO DAY: 22 SEPTEMBER

Context:

Every year, on 22 September, World Rhino Day is observed. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the need to protect all the 5 existing species of Rhinoceros, which are: Black Rhino, White Rhino, Greater one-horned Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, Javan Rhinos

About the Day:

• World Rhino Day was 1st announced by World Wildlife Fund-South Africa in 2010 and is being observed internationally since 2011.

Rhino:

• A rhinoceros, commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the 5 extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae.
• Two of the extant species are from Africa, and 3 to South and Southeast Asia.
• These are some of the largest remaining megafaunas: all weigh at least one tonne in adulthood.
• They have a herbivorous diet, small brains (400–600 g) for mammals of their size, one or 2 horns, and thick (1.5–5 cm), protective skin formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure.

The IUCN Red List Status:

• It identifies the black, Javan, and Sumatran rhinoceros as critically endangered.

Poaching Against Rhinos:

• They are killed by some poachers for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and used by people in some cultures for ornaments or traditional medicine.