Poachers, agricultural production and political conflict are all just some of the threats to the rhino species that is dying rapidly. However, the desire to protect these magnificent creatures from extinction is becoming stronger, and conservation work is ongoing in an effort to increase the rhino’s chance of survival.

Targeted for their horns, the very nature of the illegal trade at present is being debated after South Africa lifted the ban on the commerce, which had been in place for 40 years. Some experts argue that a blanket legalisation of the horn market may aid the rhino population and prevent them being so brutally killed.

Efforts are being made to prevent a repeat of the 2011 declaration of extinction on Vietnamese Javan rhinos, the subspecies wiped out entirely due to poaching. Even so, these tank-like animals face an uncertain future. The total number left in the wild is a mere fraction of what it was in the early 20th century.