The eastern black rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis michaeli''), also known as the East African black rhinoceros, is a subspecies of the
black rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros, black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis'') is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania ...
. Its numbers are very low due to
poaching
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
for its horn, and it is listed as critically endangered.
Description
The eastern black rhino is distinguishable from the southern subspecies as it has a longer, leaner, and more curved
horn
Horn most often refers to:
*Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
*Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
. Its skin is also very grooved. ''Diceros bicornis michaeli'' is also reportedly more aggressive than the other three subspecies of black rhino. They are browsers and are usually found in highland
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
and
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
.
Population and threats
Once located in
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
,
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
,
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
and
Kenya
)
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, capital = Nairobi
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, largest_city = Nairobi
...
, as of 2017 they can only be found in Kenya (594 animals),
Rwanda and in northern Tanzania (80 animals). A population of currently 60 animals is kept outside its natural range in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
(
Addo Elephant National Park). The population has declined 90% in the last three generations. In 2010 their total numbers were estimated at 740 animals, with an increasing trend.
They are threatened mainly from illegal poaching for their horns.
The
IUCN figures for ''Diceros bicornis michaeli'' also include those for black rhinos from
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the ...
,
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...
, southwestern Ethiopia and western Kenya. These are referred to a separate subspecies (''
Diceros bicornis ladoensis
''Diceros'' (Greek: "two" (dio), "horn" (keratos)) is a genus of rhinoceros containing the living black rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros, black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis'') is a species of rhinoceros, native to easter ...
'') by some authorities.
As the black rhino is extirpated in most of these areas, the status of the latter subspecies is unclear. Some animals of the Kenyan population may belong to it.
The Rhino was examined by Benson and others through the Kenya Wildlife Service and had an article published by the African Journal of Ecology (Benson, 1, 791). Each individual Rhino's relationship concerning “density dependence...sex ratio, and underlying growth rates” was the team's main focus. The Rhino began increasing its population growth to the point when growth rate was nonexistent.
Rhinos are currently listed as threatened under the Conservation Status for a number of factors but mainly due to illegal poaching. The 90% decline in their population is a hazard as they see mortality rates increase, as well as consistent emigration (Primack, 2002). The reason why the Rhino increases its densities and their birth rate decreases is because of the continuous threat of poaching and emigration.
Sex ratio brings about reproduction issues because the male numbers begin to dominate, leaving too low of a number of females to allow positive, consistent birth and growth rates (Benson, 2, 792).
References
External links
*https://web.archive.org/web/20061230061020/http://www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/blackrhino/subspecies/eastern.htm
* https://web.archive.org/web/20071011002729/http://www.rhinos-irf.org/ (International Rhino Fund dedicated to the conservation of rhinos)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1636312
Rhinoceroses