Western Black Rhinoceros: Extinct
The Western Black Rhinoceros (scientific name: Diceros bicornis longipes), a subspecies of the Black Rhinoceros family, was formally given a conservation status of ‘Extinct’ in 2011.
We’re announcing a t‐shirt that commemorates with profound sadness the now extinct Western Black Rhinoceros. This t‐shirt is a part of our ‘Endangered Species Project’. Other species featured in the project include Black Softshell Turtle (Extinct in the Wild), Vaquita (Critically Endangered), Wallace’s Golden Birdwing (Endangered), Snowy Owl (Vulnerable), Black-necked Stork (Near Threatened), Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Least Concern) and more.
The T‐shirt
- The front of this t‐shirt features original artwork depicting the Western Black Rhinoceros.
- The back of the t‐shirt depicts the word ‘EXTINCT’ in bold, along with the common name, the scientific name and the conservation status on a scale.
The Species
The Western Black Rhinoceros (scientific name: Diceros bicornis longipes), a subspecies of the Black Rhinoceros family, was formally given a conservation status of ‘Extinct’ in 2011.
Estimates say that there were about a million extant black rhinos in Africa at the beginning of the 20th century, and the number had reduced to the vicinity of a couple of thousand individuals by the beginning of the 21st century. Prolonged years of poaching on a mass scale precipitated this rhino-calypse, along with depleting habitat.
The two‐horned Western Black Rhinos emerged about 7 to 8 million years ago. Once widespread in the savanna of sub‐Saharan Africa, they had very poor eyesight but excellent senses of smell and hearing. Their diet mainly included leafy plants and shoots around their habitat.
Role in Ecology
Rhinos are considered ‘megaherbivores’ and play an extremely important role in diversifying plant life and creating grazing spots. They are considered an ‘umbrella species’ or a ‘keystone species’ — their survival is closely tied to the survival of other species in their habitat and ecosystem. Rhinos help in maintaining the savanna grassland, a fragile ecosystem that sustains many species. Through their grazing, the rhinos help in increasing biodiversity by allowing other species a better chance of survival. A decline in the population of rhinos starts changing the composition of the grassland, which has a downstream effect on other animals.
Importance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity (or Biological Diversity) is a term that describes the variety of living beings on earth, and includes diversity across species, within species, and across ecosystems. It is vital to maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. The estimates for the number of species on Earth vary, and a 2011 study put the count at 8.7 million.
To buy this t-shirt, or see our entire series, visit our store on Amazon.com.
