Poaching at 11-year low, but populations remain at risk
World Rhino Day 2025
One rhino is poached in Africa every 15 hours, but numbers are starting to recover.
New data released in the International Rhino Foundation’s 2025 State of the Rhino report, ahead of World Rhino Day, commemorated on 22 September, indicates that although one rhino was poached every 15 hours in Africa last year, poaching levels are now at their lowest in more than a decade.Asian and African rhino populations combined have increased by 430 since the last official count in 2022, bringing the total to 26,700. Wild Africa emphasises that despite this progress, the poaching crisis remains a serious threat.
Africa is home to the majority of the world’s rhinos, including the critically endangered black rhino - one of Africa’s iconic Big Five - and the near-threatened white rhino. Current estimates place the black rhino population at 6 788 and the white rhino at 15 752.
Poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn remain the greatest threats to their survival, driven by demand from Vietnam and China, socioeconomic pressures in Africa, and organised criminal gangs. Rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as for ornamental carvings and trinkets.
Strategies
In a concerted effort to prevent extinction, African governments and conservation groups have implemented wide-ranging anti-poaching strategies. These include on-the-ground protection initiatives, intelligence-led enforcement, advanced ranger training and integrity testing, and stronger collaboration with local communities.
Many initiatives also integrate innovative technologies such as camera traps, aerial surveillance and motion sensors, alongside rhino translocation programmes aimed at reducing risks in high-poaching areas. While progress has been gradual, these multi-faceted approaches are beginning to show results.
Since the onset of the poaching crisis in 2008, over 12 000 rhinos have been illegally killed in Africa. The peak came in 2015, when 1 349 rhinos were poached. By contrast, 2024 saw 516 recorded poaching incidents. According to The African and Asian Rhinoceroses – Status, Conservation and Trade report (commissioned by CITES in 2025), poaching accounted for just 2.15% of Africa’s total rhino population loss in 2024 – the lowest rate in 13 years.
Threats remain
“While rhino poaching has declined this year and populations are growing overall, rhinos are still threatened by poaching for their horns. Integrity testing of rangers must be applied consistently, as it has proved effective. Education and demand reduction in Vietnam and China are also crucial if we are to rebuild rhino populations,” says Peter Knights OBE, CEO of Wild Africa.
“Conservation takes a collaborative approach, and World Rhino Day is an opportunity to celebrate our achievements as a conservation NGO and to be proud of our successes across the landscape. If everyone across the world joins hands and says ‘NO’ to rhino poaching, we can preserve these species for generations to come,” adds Lorna Dax, Programme & Partnership Development Assistant at Save the Rhino Trust Namibia.
While there is hope for rhinos, their plight is far from over. These gains, though significant, remain fragile. Sustained investment in protection, stronger international collaboration and continued efforts to reduce demand – particularly in consumer countries – are critical to securing the species’ future.
On World Rhino Day 2025, Wild Africa urges governments, enforcement agencies, conservation groups and the public to stay vigilant and maintain their commitment to rhino preservation. - WILDAFRICA
Did you know?
• A rhino is killed in Africa every 15 hours
• This #WorldRhinoDay, you can be part of the solution:
- Say NO to poaching and habitat loss
- Report wildlife crime
- Support ecotourism and conservation efforts
Together, we can protect rhinos, because once they’re gone, they’re gone.
#Rhinos #Savetherhino #wildlife #Rhinoday #wildlifeconservation