# Western black rhino declared extinct **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565 "2011-11-11T02:59:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/1 "2011-11-11T02:59:07Z")
From [cnn.com](http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/10/world/africa/rhino-extinct-species-report/). ☹ Sometimes the human race sucks. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/2 "2011-11-11T02:59:30Z")
> **[Africa's Western black rhino declared extinct](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/world-now/story/2011-11-10/africas-western-black-rhino-declared-extinct)** > > This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. This was just a blip on the news radar, but it seems sad. This extinction was due mainly to over-hunting and poaching for their horns. Another one bites the dust. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/3 "2011-11-11T03:02:03Z")
That’s so sad. Rhino’s are so cool. Stupid hunters. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/4 "2011-11-11T03:15:02Z")
☹ :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/5 "2011-11-11T03:23:39Z")
[moderating] Since there were two virtually identical threads started in the same forum at almost exactly the same time, I merged them. That’s why it looks like this thread has two OPs. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/6 "2011-11-11T03:27:29Z")
I find it an interesting coincidence that the _Today Show_ had a [segment on Namibia](http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45167964/ns/today-travel/t/adventure-along-namibian-coast/#.TryVbfHRU68) a few days ago, which included this quote: [QUOTE=Today Show] **LAUER** : These days their endangered species are thriving like the black rhino, once on the verge of extinction. Its population has tripled. Namibia 's model of conservation is now a blueprint for other nations. [/QUOTE] Yes, I know that’s a different subspecies, but still interesting timing. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/7 "2011-11-11T03:30:53Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > From [cnn.com](http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/10/world/africa/rhino-extinct-species-report/). ☹ > Sometimes the human race sucks. :mad: Yeah, the older I get and the more I see of the wrongs in the world, the more I dislike the human race as a whole, honestly. Humans do so many awful things, even though we should know better (which makes it worse than when animals do awful things). I do think this extinction is awful, but at least it’s “only” a subspecies. I find the loss of unique species like the quagga and the thylacine to be more troubling than losing a subspecies. Unfortunately, in politically volatile places like certain parts of Africa, scores of people die every day, so it isn’t really all that surprising that protecting the animals is a low priority. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/8 "2011-11-11T03:52:34Z")
7,000,000,000+. Expect more of this ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/9 "2011-11-11T03:58:31Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Yeah, the older I get and the more I see of the wrongs in the world, the more I dislike the human race as a whole, honestly. Humans do so many awful things, even though we should know better (which makes it worse than when animals do awful things). > > I do think this extinction is awful, but at least it’s “only” a subspecies. I find the loss of unique species like the quagga and the thylacine to be more troubling than losing a subspecies. > > Unfortunately, in politically volatile places like certain parts of Africa, scores of people die every day, so it isn’t really all that surprising that protecting the animals is a low priority. But if you were to read the article, you’d see they say _several_ more subspecies are on the verge of extinction and some may even be extinct now; they simply lack confirmation. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/10 "2011-11-11T04:15:10Z")
[And here’s an entire genus about to go extinct.](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/11/111108-hirolas-extinct-genus-animals-science-africa-antelopes/?source=hp_dl1_news_antelopes20111109) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/11 "2011-11-11T06:33:17Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > But if you were to read the article, you’d see they say _several_ more subspecies are on the verge of extinction and some may even be extinct now; they simply lack confirmation. [I did a write-up](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14450679&postcount=7) (mostly borrowed from Wikipedia) on rhino subspecies and geographic races and their endangeredness in the GQ rhino thread. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/12 "2011-11-11T09:18:09Z")
It was only last week or so that I read in the paper that the last rhino in Vietnam had been killed by a poacher. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/13 "2011-11-11T09:27:50Z")
You would think the super wealthy would find something worthwhile to do with surplus cash. How wrong you’d be. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/14 "2011-11-11T13:25:49Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > But if you were to read the article, you’d see they say _several_ more subspecies are on the verge of extinction and some may even be extinct now; they simply lack confirmation. Yes, I did read the article. I’m not saying that this current situation isn’t bad. I was just saying that I personally am more bothered when an entire species is wiped out. It’s awful that we’ve lost this unique subspecies (and others), but at least for now we do still have other black rhinos. I hope that something can be done to save the others before it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/15 "2011-11-11T14:23:28Z")
I have heard that the major market for rhino horn is the Chinese “traditional medicine” racket. Apparently, it is belived that pills made from ground up rhino horn will restore sexual potency. Is this true? ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/16 "2011-11-11T15:25:37Z")
There aren’t any of these in zoos anywhere? (Better than nothing.) African elephants are supposed to be extinct in the wild within 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![purple\_cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@purple\_cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_cow)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/17 "2011-11-11T15:35:56Z")
The horn is also used for ornamental dagger handles in Yemen. And since the population in Yemen is exploding, well you know the drill. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/18 "2011-11-11T15:47:28Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > There aren’t any of these in zoos anywhere? (Better than nothing.) > > African elephants are supposed to be extinct in the wild within 15 years. They are? The [IUCN red list](http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/12392/0) has them listed at “Vulnerable”, which is better than Endangered, and also says their population trend is increasing at 4%/year. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/19 "2011-11-11T16:19:38Z")
Well, that’s good news! I got this from Yahoo! News about two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565/20 "2011-11-11T16:42:07Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > There aren’t any of these in zoos anywhere? (Better than nothing.) > > African elephants are supposed to be extinct in the wild within 15 years. There were only 10 Western Black Rhinos left, in the noirthern Cameroons, in 2000. While the official announcement says, ‘…extinct in the wild,’ nothing I’ve been able to locate indicates any captive population in zoos. So this subspecies is likely completely extinct. The Northern White Rhino has seven living purebred animals, plus one Northern/Southern cross. One purebred and the hybrid, both female, are at Dvur Kralove zoo in the Czech Republic. A mated pair is at the San Diego zoo. And two males and two females are at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where they are being slowly reintroduced to the wild. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/602565.md?page=2)