White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)

While the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is the only rhino species that is not endangered, it is not without threat. In Kruger National Park, the ivory horns are cut off in an effort to make them less desirable to poachers who believe the horns possess healing properties. Though their horns continue to grow throughout their life, removing them helps ensure the horns, which naturally average lengths of 60 cm (24 in), remain short and unprofitable to poachers.

In 2023, when this photo was taken, an average of 1 rhino was poached every 15 hours in South Africa. Despite this, Kruger National Park decreased rhino poaching from 2022 by 37% with a total of 78 rhinos being needlessly killed in the park.

One can only hope that, with the sharing of proper information, resources, and support at the local community levels, these statistics continue to trend down.