Saving the last of our planet’s rhinos: The case of the white rhino

Fewer than 27,000 rhinos remain globally, according to the 2025 State of the Rhino Report, representing just 5% of the population at the start of the 20th century. Conservationists are now utilizing IVF through the Leibniz Institute’s BioRescue Project and aggressive horn-trimming strategies at reserves like Mankwe Wildlife Reserve to prevent total extinction.

Why are rhino populations declining?

Illegal wildlife trade gangs drive the decline, targeting rhinos for horns falsely believed to have medicinal properties in China and Southeast Asia. According to the 2025 State of the Rhino Report, this demand has turned poaching into a crisis, specifically in South Africa where most surviving white rhinos live.

The black market value of rhino horn now exceeds the price of gold. In South Africa, poaching grew by more than 9,000% between 2007 and 2014. While those numbers have since halved, at least one rhino is still killed every day.

How can IVF save the northern white rhino?

The northern white rhino is functionally extinct, with only two females, Najin and Fatu, surviving at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Because these two individuals cannot carry a pregnancy, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research launched the BioRescue Project.

The project uses in vitro fertilization (IVF) to create embryos from oocytes taken from the surviving females and frozen sperm from deceased males. So far, the team has created more than 30 embryos. Since Najin and Fatu have health issues, southern white rhinos serve as surrogate mothers to carry the offspring.

Does horn trimming actually prevent poaching?

Horn trimming reduces the incentive for poachers to kill the animal. Dr. Lynne Mactavish, Director of Endangered Rhino Conservation at Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, began trimming horns after a brutal 2014 attack killed five of her rhinos.

Mactavish describes the procedure as painless, comparing it to a dentist visit where the area is numbed. However, trimming alone isn’t a cure. She states that combining trimming with anti-poaching measures gives a rhino an 80% better chance of survival.

Mankwe employs a specialized anti-poaching unit featuring 20 dogs, including Malinois, bloodhounds, and German shepherds, to act as the first line of defense. This infrastructure comes at a high price; Mactavish estimates it costs roughly £25,000 per year to keep a single rhino alive.

Should the international rhino horn trade be legalized?

There’s a sharp divide on how to handle the economics of the horn trade. The Private Rhino Association of South Africa advocates for legalizing international trade through a corruption-free central system. They argue this would crash the black market price and make poaching less profitable than legal ownership.

Opponents argue that legalizing the trade would stimulate further demand and actually increase poaching. Dr. Mactavish views the situation as an “economic war” and suggests that making a living rhino more valuable than its horn is the only sustainable path.

Comparing Rhino Species Status

What happens if reserves give up?

Many private reserves in South Africa are reaching a breaking point. Because South Africa holds about 80% of the white rhino population—with 52% on private land—the financial burden on these owners is immense. Mactavish warns that without a sustainable funding model or a change in trade laws, some reserves may be forced to give up within 10 years, potentially leading to extinction.

To combat this, Mankwe hosts international volunteers and educational programs. Mactavish emphasizes that anti-demand campaigns must be driven by people within Southeast Asia to inspire the next generation to reject rhino horn products.