Rhinos are magnificent creatures: big, powerful, and charismatic. Unfortunately, these same qualities make them popular targets; rhino body parts are in high demand on the global black market. Rhino horns are used in Asian medicines, which are sold to consumers who believe these animal products convey strength, health and virility they are also carved for dagger handles as a coveted status symbol in the Middle East. The illegal trade in animal parts is a profitable business and the demand for these products creates an ongoing temptation for poachers. Rhinos also fall victim to poachers’ snares, set to trap other animals for bushmeat or trophies.

Wild rhinos can still be found in parts of Asia and Africa, but live in small fragmented populations which may not be viable (due to lack of breeding opportunities and risk of random events or disease). Sumatran rhinos have decreased by 50 percent in the past 18 years leaving only about 300 surviving, primarily in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Before 1900, hundreds of thousands of black rhinos occurred throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa, but between 1970 and 1992, rhino populations declined 96%. Black rhinos went extinct in many range states, and by 1992, only 2300 individuals survived in seven countries.

But while rhinos continue to be killed for their horns, increased security and greater anti-poaching efforts have led to increases in some populations over the past decade. Recovery of Africa’s white rhino demonstrates the benefits of strong law enforcement and conservation management. Decimated by hunting, white rhinos nearly became extinct with only about 100 surviving in the wild. Now, with good protection and successful management, the subspecies has increased to more than 11,000 and is the most abundant of all rhinos.

Rhinos and CITES
At its 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP14) in 2007, the Parties adopted several decisions to promote better management of rhinoceros commodities in trade, uniformity in declarations, poaching, and capacity building. This document and its annex report on the status of the progress in implementing these decisions.

• Report of the Secretariat on Rhinoceroses
http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/15/doc/E15-45-01.pdf

• Annex: African and Asian Rhinoceroses – Status, Conservation and Trade
http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/15/doc/E15-45-01A.pdf

There is also a proposal to revise the current Resolution governing rhino conservation and trade:
• Revision of Resolution Conf. 9.14 (Rev. CoP14) on conservation of and trade in African and Asian rhinoceroses
http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/15/doc/E15-45-02.pdf