The statistics are chilling. Between 1970 and 1992 96% of all rhinos were poached. On average there are three rhinos killed illegally every day. Perhaps more than any other species the rhino needs protection and it costs money to do that. By adopting a rhino, you will be helping to fund WWF’s anti-poaching efforts, and that is money well spent.

Asian rhinos in particular are suffering from loss of habitat as forest, grassland and marshland are all cleared either because of logging or to make way for human settlements and agriculture. Perhaps more than anything else, it is habitat destruction that poses the greatest threat to the continued survival of the Asian rhino. By funding WWF and adopting a rhino, local communities can be educated and taught to better manage their natural resources and live in harmony with the rhino by promoting eco-friendly tourism instead.

Unfortunately for the rhino, its horn is seen as a status symbol in Vietnam and is also used as an ingredient in Eastern medicine. This has led to a surge in rhino poaching. Apart from protecting rhinos from poachers another way to approach the problem is tackling demand. This can be achieved by education or letting people know that the rhino horn is made from the same stuff our fingernails are made from and has no magical powers. By adopting a rhino, you will be helping to fund WWF’s efforts in fighting back against the illegal trade in wildlife body parts.

By now you probably know that most species that are at risk of extinction are at risk for many of the same reasons. Climate change is one of them. As the Earth’s temperature continues along its inexorable rise, we are going to see more droughts in Africa’s Southern region which will obviously negatively impact its biodiversity which includes the rhino. By adopting a rhino, you will be funding WWF’s efforts in fighting against climate change. It’s not too late to stop catastrophic climate change from happening, so long as we all pitch in.