New IUCN report sets out guidelines for best conserving rhinos in Africa
A more inclusive framework for protecting the iconic rhino responds to changing political, social, and demographic conditions in Africa.
A black rhino in South Africa.
Conservation efforts have led to overall increases in the number of rhinos in Africa in recent years, but the continent’s rapidly growing human population – and the consequent loss of ecosystems – will require new and more inclusive approaches to protecting the iconic animals.
A new IUCN report, African Rhinoceros Conservation Framework 2025-2035: A contemporary strategic framework, outlines a critical new approach for rhino conservation in the future, one that seeks to balance the needs of the animals, the growing human population, and the ecosystems and biodiversity that support them both.
The framework, created by experts associated with the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s African Rhino Specialist Group, reviews and incorporates fresh approaches to rhino conservation, many of which experts have openly discussed over the past decade. It also integrates these new insights into earlier approaches and practices that have been proven over time.
“This new framework aims to produce better outcomes for rhino conservation in Africa. It takes the best of the established approaches and merges them with progressive new thinking in the field. It aims to be a source of inspiration to reimagine rhino conservation and the contributions that it can make to an increased range of stakeholders,” said Dr David Balfour, Chair of the African Rhino Specialist Group.
The framework outlines six strategic pillars that are fundamental to effective rhino conservation.
Ecological – Ensuring implementation of all aspects of biological management
Safety and security – Creating safe and secure areas in which rhinos and people live
Disruption of organised crime – Suppressing illegal wildlife trade
Rhino-horn markets – Understanding and influencing rhino-horn markets
Equity and rights – Ensuring equity and the rights of citizens in relation to rhinos
Value – Fostering diverse views of the value of rhinos in society
The need for this new framework comes from the expected population growth in Africa and impact on ecosystems across the continent. Over the next 50 years the Earth’s population will increase from 8 billion to an estimated 10 billion, with 800 million additional people expected in Africa. A key challenge for Africa will be in slowing or reversing losses in the services that intact ecosystems provide, while at the same time strengthening conservation efforts in a manner that also benefits people.
“We’ve seen how conservation efforts have succeeded in stabilising and growing the rhino population in Africa. But we also know that those efforts have to evolve and adapt to the changing political, social, and demographic conditions in Africa. This new framework represents the way forward,” said Dr Balfour.
Range states in Africa reported an estimated 23,885 rhinos (combining the black and the white rhino species) at the end of 2023, an increase of 2.4% from the year before. These increases come from concerted conservation efforts across Africa, including containing the poaching rate.
Besides their intrinsic value, rhinos – which are often referred to as “ecosystem engineers” –perform a variety of important ecological roles, including contributing to the formation and maintenance or grazing lawns in savannas. They also contribute to the conservation of other species through revenue from philanthropic donations and sustainable uses, and are valued for cultural and spiritual reasons.
The African Rhino Specialist Group is one of the more than 140 Specialist Groups of the Species Survival Commission. The largely volunteer-based network of experts across disciplines represents and works on behalf of the SSC to further rhino conservation in Africa. The AfRSG’s work covers all African rhino range States: Botswana, Chad, DR Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia & Zimbabwe; & works with state, provincial, community, municipal & private sector rhino conservation programs.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Rwanda has been awarded an…
The Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Environment, the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB…
Rwanda is set to plant more than 65 million seedlings during the 2024-2025 period as part of its…