Rhinoceros are some of the largest remaining megafauna, which means that a grown-up individual reaches a weight of over a tonne. Together with their compact bodies and their horns, rhinos make for a pretty impressive appearance. They belong to the famous Big Five, which is a group of African wildlife that consists of elephants, rhinos, buffalos, lions and leopards and attracts thousands of tourists each year. In the wild, a rhinoceros can reach up to 60 years of age as the grown-ups do not have any predators apart from humans.

Rhinos are herbivores and mainly eat grasses, leaves, buds and fruits. As they don’t have teeth in the front of their mouths, they use their lips to pluck the food. Rhinos have very small brains for their massive body size, considerably smaller than other animals with a similar body size. Their most distinctive physical trait are their horns, some species have one, others have two. Unfortunately, this trademark is also the main reason why rhinos are endangered. They are poached for their horns, which are believed to have a medicinal effect in many Asian countries, mainly Vietnam and China. They’re also considered high-value gifts and popular items for rich customers from Asia. Although international trade in rhino horn has been prohibited since 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), the demand for rhino horn is on a constant high and effects illegal poaching.

Rhinos used to have a much bigger range than they have today. They could once be found all over Europe, Asia and Africa as early cave paintings of the horned animals prove. Around 100 years ago, more than half a million rhinoceros roamed Asia and Africa after their European relatives had already disappeared. Today, there are roughly 25.000 rhinos left in Africa, with some subspecies already extinct. In Asia, the situation is even more dramatic. It is estimated that little over 3500 individuals are left in the whole of Asia and Vietnam has announced back in 2011 that there are no rhinos left in the country.

Why are rhinos endangered?

Grown rhinos do not have any natural predators, except humans. The sad truth is that the critical situation in which rhinoceros populations are today is 100% man-made. The main reason that rhinoceros are endangered is the poaching for their horns. In many Asian countries, it is still believed that rhino horn is a cure for cancer and can also be used as an aphrodisiac. This is based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and even though many TCM educators speak out against using rhino horn for medical reasons, many people still believe in its healing powers. In fact, rhino horn consists of keratin, the same type of protein that hair and fingernails are made of, so it is scientifically proven that there is no healing effect whatsoever. Still, the demand for rhino horn is very high. On the international black market, rhino horn costs the same per weight as gold. Which is why it is no wonder that illegal poaching continues in both Asia and Africa and gets harder and harder to control.

Today most rhinos can only survive in national parks and protected areas. And although the overall situation of rhino populations is very critical, there have been successful conservation efforts in the past decades. White rhinos, for example, were thought to be extinct in the late 19th century, but after a wild group of about 100 individuals was discovered and heavily protected the population grew constantly. Today there are around 20.000 white rhinos in protected areas and private game reserves and they are the only rhino species that is not endangered but “only” near threatened. The population of Indian rhinos is also growing very slowly, from about 1800 in the early 90’s to 3500 in 2015, which still leaves them at a vulnerable status.

What rhino species are there?

There are five species of rhinoceros that still exist today, two in Africa and three in Asia. The main difference between the two is that African rhinos are bigger and have two horns, while their Asian relatives are considerably smaller and only have one horn. The only exception to this rule is the Sumatran rhino, which has two horns as well.

White rhinos are the second largest land mammal, only topped by elephants, and they mainly occur in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Their name is quite misleading, as white rhinos are actually grey and pretty much the same color as their relatives, the black rhinos. Their name comes from the Afrikaans word “weit”, which means “wide” and refers to their mouths.

The black rhino is smaller in size and weight and their mouth also looks very different from the square mouth of the white rhino. The black rhino is critically endangered with only about 5000 individuals left, mainly in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia.

Indian rhinos are almost as large as the African white rhino and once inhabited a range from Pakistan to China. Today, they can only be found in protected areas in India and Nepal, with a few individuals living in Pakistan.

The Javan rhinoceros is one of the most endangered mammals on earth, with only about 60 individuals remaining on the island of Java. They used to range from Nepal to Sumatra, with the last rhino living outside of Java being killed in 2011 in Vietnam by poachers.

The Sumatran rhino is the only Asian rhinoceros that has two horns like its African relatives. It is the smallest of all rhino species and has much more hair than the others. It can be found today in very high regions in Sumatra and Borneo and is facing threats like poaching and habitat loss from palm oil production. This is why this species is also considered critically endangered.

To sum up, here is a list of all the rhinoceros species that still exist today:

• Black Rhino
• Indian Rhino
• Javan Rhino
• Sumatran Rhino
• White Rhino

While rhinoceros can be found in both Asia and Africa, your work as a volunteer will lead you to the African continent for a very simple reason. As you have learned already, the numbers of Asian rhinos is alarmingly small which has lead to a number of NGOs working hand in hand with the governments on population management programs. These places are reserved for professional biologists and experts in the field of conversation work only.

As the rhino population in Africa is much bigger, there are many different NGOs working on conservation tasks and there is less to no support from governments which means that these projects depend on the help of volunteers. Many projects are located in South Africa as this is where a great percentage of white rhino populations live. Other places where you can volunteer with rhinos are Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

The kind of work that you will be doing as a rhino conservation volunteer depends on the project that you decide to sign up for. You can find detailed information about the tasks in each program on the program pages and contact the program coordinator for additional questions. In the following, we will give you an overview of all the different tasks you can expect to be doing when you join a rhino conservation project.

Your tasks as a volunteer

Depending on which rhino conservation project you are going to join, there are many possible tasks that your work is going to entail. If you are working for a project that focuses on the research and observation of wild rhino populations, your main tasks will be to observe the individuals and collect data for the research. Usually, volunteers and researchers live at a base camp and conduct game drives and foot walks for their observation purposes. Sometimes you will camp out in the wild or be stationed at a hide near a waterhole where you get to see all kinds of animals next to rhinoceros. Of course, it is necessary that volunteers are well prepared for these tasks. There will likely be lessons and presentations about the correct conduction of research work, how to approach dangerous animals on foot and how to behave in certain situations. Some time will also be spent at a computer, transferring the collected data and putting together reports. Maintaining the camps and vehicles is another important task that you will do as a volunteer at a rhino conservation project. Some of your other tasks could include:

• setting up camera and video traps
• engaging in habitat work like alien plant removal or bush clearing
• night patrols and anti-poaching patrols
• learning to track animals and identify spoors
• teaching and educating local communities on your efforts

You might also end up working for a project that supports rhino breeding and release programs in the game reserve. Programs like that have proven to be very efficient in means of conservation and have helped to save the white rhinos from near extinction in the late 19th century. Your tasks at a project like that will be manifold. You will be observing the rhinos that have been released and record their behavior to identify patterns. In the breeding facility, you will be assisting with the walking and feeding of the rhinos as well as monitoring baby rhinos if there happen to be any at the time you volunteer. Their feeding habits and behavior need to be documented and their enclosures have to be cleaned regularly as well. Your tasks as a rhino conservation volunteer will be hard and physically challenging, but you will be rewarded with some great experiences and the knowledge that you helped conserve one of the most endangered species in the world.

Your benefits of volunteering with rhinos

Seeing rhinos roam wild in their natural habitat is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will never forget. That alone is reason enough for many people to pack their bags and volunteer with rhinos around the world. But apart from that, there are plenty of other reasons why this kind of volunteer work could be the right choice for you. If you are interested in studying biology or veterinary medicine, a volunteer program working with rhinos will be a great fit. You will gain hands-on experience and get a first insight into the daily work of trained wildlife experts and biologists, which will certainly come in handy at a later point in your career. Being able to list this kind of work experience on your CV is another bonus, even if you are not planning on pursuing a career in this field. It shows that you are capable of physically hard and hands-on work and that you are motivated to volunteer your free-time to a meaningful cause.

Depending on where you choose to volunteer, you might get to refine your language skills whilst working on site as the main language spoken is English. Immersing yourself in a foreign culture and living abroad will definitely make you grow as a person and give you a different perspective. And let’s not forget that the time you spend as a rhino conservation volunteer will also be incredibly fun! You will get to enjoy all the perks of living in the pure nature, like seeing wild animals from up close, getting back to your roots and facing new challenges. The best part is that you will be surrounded by like-minded individuals that share your passion for rhino and wildlife conservation. After working and living together for a while, these people might even become your close friends! If you think that joining a rhino conservation project as a volunteer is just what you were looking for, then go ahead and get started right now! We would love to help you to find your perfect project!