For the past decade, Ray Dearlove has worked tirelessly to play a part in the preservation of the rhinoceros species. All five remaining rhino species are under severe threat and potentially on the verge of extinction in their wild habitat due to excessive poaching, driven by a burgeoning market for the consumption of rhinoceros horn in China and South-east Asia. Despite continued efforts from governments and other in situ conservation attempts, the situation continues to deteriorate, with a current estimate of one rhino being poached every eight hours in South Africa. While poaching has plateaued somewhat in recent years - mainly because the overall number of remaining rhinos has dramatically reduced- the actual number of rhinos being slaughtered, driven by demand for ‘medicinal’ rhinoceros horn and as a status symbol amongst a new generation of users, is completely unsustainable.
There are now thought to be as few as 10,000-15,000 rhinos left in the wild in Africa. The biggest threat rhinos face is poaching and, to a lesser extent, habitat loss due to human encroachment, and the illegal bush meat trade through indiscriminate snaring. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the scale of hunting of bush meat as more and more locals lose their employment and face starvation.
