Every year, World Rhino Day offers a moment to reflect on the state of rhino conservation. It’s a chance to celebrate achievements, acknowledge setbacks, and renew our commitment to the actions still needed.
Progress Worth Celebrating
Black rhinos continue to rise! In August 2025, the latest population estimates for all five species were published, showing a welcome increase for black rhinos in Africa. The species remains under threat, but strong signs of recovery in key countries, including Kenya and Zimbabwe, show that conservation actions are making a real impact.
Tackling the threats rhinos face is crucial for long-term conservation success. In a significant win this year, an 18-year sentence was handed to a member of a major illegal wildlife trafficking network. The strong sentence reflects the severity of the crimes, which extended beyond rhino poaching into substantial money laundering. This case reinforces what conservationists have long known: illegal wildlife trade is a serious, organised and international crime, carried out by complex criminal networks also involved in other dangerous illicit activities.
Challenges That Persist
Despite the steps forward, rhinos remain under threat. Poaching gangs continue to adapt their tactics, exploiting people and wildlife when targeting key populations in Namibia and South Africa. Meanwhile, the climate crisis (especially drought) is affecting habitats and water sources, adding pressure to already vulnerable ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them. Critical populations are struggling to recover. The latest white rhino population estimates show the species has declined from 16,772 in 2022, to 15,752 at the end of 2024.
In Asia, the two Indonesian species remain on the brink. The Sumatran rhino population is at only 34-47 individuals, and approximately 50 Javan rhinos remain. Thankfully, there have been no reports of poaching for either species in the last year, yet a lack of suitable, connected habitat remains a major concern for their future. Space is a challenge for greater one-horned rhinos. With only slight growth in their numbers since the last count, it appears the species recovery has stalled. Their current population sits at 4,075.
Whilst rhino poaching declined overall last year, the illegal wildlife trade remains a lucrative business, requiring constant attention and international cooperation to dismantle trafficking networks. This work demands significant time, resources and expertise. Yet, as the global cost of living crisis deepens, conservation funding is under strain. Many people and organisations are facing financial hardship, making it difficult to sustain long-term conservation efforts, let alone expand them.
Looking Back
To understand how far we’ve come, it’s worth looking back. Despite the challenges that persist today, the long-term view of rhino conservation shows that together we can (and have) made a difference. The 1950s saw very low numbers of greater one-horned and white rhinos, and in 1995, black rhinos were at their lowest. Today populations of all three species have vastly increased.
Recovering populations, especially those under continued strain, takes dedication, collaboration and – perhaps most importantly – time.
A Call to Action
World Rhino Day is not just about reflecting on the past; it’s about looking ahead. Every rhino saved, every global trafficking ring dismantled, and every extra space available for rhinos brings us closer to a future where they can thrive in the wild.
At Save the Rhino International, we remain committed to moving forwards. With our partners and community of supporters around the world, we will keep charging ahead.