Endangered rhino numbers ‘soar by 1,000%’ in Tanzania

The number of endangered rhinos in Tanzania has risen by 1,000 per cent after a government crackdown on organised gangs guilty of industrial-scale poaching, officials claim.

And elephant populations have risen by nearly half in five years, thanks to a blitz on illegal ivory hunters, the president’s office said.

Four years ago the country, which has been described as “ground zero” of the poaching crisis, had just 15 rhinos, but a statement said the figure now was 167.

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However, British wildlife experts were cautious, saying the rise in rhino numbers was likely to be down to imports, rather than breeding.

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli took a hard line on wildlife crime when he took office in 2015, urging security forces to arrest all those involved trafficking.

Shape Created with Sketch. World's most endangered animals Show all 17 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. World's most endangered animals 1/17 Amur Leopard Endemic to the far east of Russia, the Amur Leopard has a population of around 84 and is critically endangered. Here follows every species that the WWF lists as critically endangered. Getty 2/17 Yangtze Finless Porpoise Endemic to China's Yangtze River, the Yangtze finless porpoise has an estimated population of 1000-1800 Kenichi Nobusue 3/17 South China Tiger When discovered in the 1950s, the South China tiger population was estimated to be 4000, by 1996 it was estimated to be only 30-80. Scientists consider the tiger to be "functionally extinct" as one has not been sighted for over 25 years 4/17 Sumatran Orangutan The Sumatran orangutan was once found across the island of Sumatra and even further south on Java. Today it is found only in the island's north and its population stands at 14,613 Getty 5/17 Western Lowland Gorilla Though it is the most populous of all gorilla subspecies, the western lowland gorilla is still critically endangered and its population has declined by 60% in the last quarter century Getty 6/17 Sumatran Rhinoceros The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of the surviving rhinoceros species. Only 80 are known to be living today. The last male Sumatran rhino in Malaysia died on 28 May 2019 Willem V Strien 7/17 Sumatran Tiger There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left today. They are severely threatened by deforestation and poaching Getty 8/17 Eastern Lowland Gorilla Half of the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo in which these gorillas live has been destroyed the past 50 years. There were 17,000 Eastern Lowland gorillas in the 1990s but scientists estimate their population has declined by over 50% since then Getty 9/17 Vaquita The world's rarest marine animal has a population of only 30. They were discovered in 1958 and are endemic to Mexico's Gulf of California Paula Olson / NOAA 10/17 Javan Rhino The most threatened of all rhino species, there are only an estimated 58-68 Javan rhino left Reuters 11/17 Saola The saola was first sighted in 1992, being the first large mammal to be discovered in over 50 years. Scientists have only sighted saola in the wild four times and it is considered critically endangered 12/17 Sumatran Elephant The Sumatran elephant population now stands at only 2400-2800 Getty 13/17 Malayan Tiger The Malayan Tiger population now stands at only 250-300 Getty 14/17 Hawksbill Turtle The population of the Hawksbill Turtle has declined by more than 80% in the last century. They are threatened by black market poachers who kill them for their shell Getty 15/17 Black Rhino The population of the black rhino dropped by 98% in the years 1960-1995 due to poaching, it stands today at around 5000 Getty 16/17 Cross River Gorilla The population of the Cross River gorilla has been damaged by deforestation and poaching, it now stands at 200-300 Julie Langford 17/17 Bornean Orangutan The population of the Bornean orangutan has been reduced by over 50% in the past 60 years, now standing at around 104,700. Their habitat has been reduced by at least 50% in the 21st century Getty 1/17 Amur Leopard Endemic to the far east of Russia, the Amur Leopard has a population of around 84 and is critically endangered. Here follows every species that the WWF lists as critically endangered. Getty 2/17 Yangtze Finless Porpoise Endemic to China's Yangtze River, the Yangtze finless porpoise has an estimated population of 1000-1800 Kenichi Nobusue 3/17 South China Tiger When discovered in the 1950s, the South China tiger population was estimated to be 4000, by 1996 it was estimated to be only 30-80. Scientists consider the tiger to be "functionally extinct" as one has not been sighted for over 25 years 4/17 Sumatran Orangutan The Sumatran orangutan was once found across the island of Sumatra and even further south on Java. Today it is found only in the island's north and its population stands at 14,613 Getty 5/17 Western Lowland Gorilla Though it is the most populous of all gorilla subspecies, the western lowland gorilla is still critically endangered and its population has declined by 60% in the last quarter century Getty 6/17 Sumatran Rhinoceros The Sumatran rhinoceros is the smallest of the surviving rhinoceros species. Only 80 are known to be living today. The last male Sumatran rhino in Malaysia died on 28 May 2019 Willem V Strien 7/17 Sumatran Tiger There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left today. They are severely threatened by deforestation and poaching Getty 8/17 Eastern Lowland Gorilla Half of the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo in which these gorillas live has been destroyed the past 50 years. There were 17,000 Eastern Lowland gorillas in the 1990s but scientists estimate their population has declined by over 50% since then Getty 9/17 Vaquita The world's rarest marine animal has a population of only 30. They were discovered in 1958 and are endemic to Mexico's Gulf of California Paula Olson / NOAA 10/17 Javan Rhino The most threatened of all rhino species, there are only an estimated 58-68 Javan rhino left Reuters 11/17 Saola The saola was first sighted in 1992, being the first large mammal to be discovered in over 50 years. Scientists have only sighted saola in the wild four times and it is considered critically endangered 12/17 Sumatran Elephant The Sumatran elephant population now stands at only 2400-2800 Getty 13/17 Malayan Tiger The Malayan Tiger population now stands at only 250-300 Getty 14/17 Hawksbill Turtle The population of the Hawksbill Turtle has declined by more than 80% in the last century. They are threatened by black market poachers who kill them for their shell Getty 15/17 Black Rhino The population of the black rhino dropped by 98% in the years 1960-1995 due to poaching, it stands today at around 5000 Getty 16/17 Cross River Gorilla The population of the Cross River gorilla has been damaged by deforestation and poaching, it now stands at 200-300 Julie Langford 17/17 Bornean Orangutan The population of the Bornean orangutan has been reduced by over 50% in the past 60 years, now standing at around 104,700. Their habitat has been reduced by at least 50% in the 21st century Getty

Within months, four Chinese men arrested at the Malawi border for smuggling rhino horns were jailed for 20 years.

In February this year, a prominent Chinese businesswoman dubbed “the ivory queen” was sentenced to 15 years’ jail in Tanzania for smuggling the tusks of more than 350 elephants to Asia.

“As a result of the work of a special taskforce launched in 2016 to fight wildlife poaching, elephant populations have increased from 43,330 in 2014 to over 60,000 presently,” officials said.

Elephant numbers in Tanzania plummeted by 60 per cent between 2009 to 2014, from 110,000 to just over 43,000, a 2015 census showed.

Conservation groups blamed rampant poaching, with much of the slaughter happening around the extensive Selous game reserve and the adjacent Mikumi National Park.

In one park, Ruaha, half the elephants – more than 4,000 – were killed by poachers in 2015 alone, research found.

Two years ago Wayne Lotter, head of a conservation charity, who had received numerous death threats, was shot dead by a gunman.

Under Mr Magufuli, authorities have arrested suspects linked to trafficking syndicates.

And an eight-month elephant collaring scheme in one park has enabled rangers to better protect the animals.

But Mark Jones, head of policy at wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation, said both rhinos and elephants breed slowly so attributed the population increases to other factors.

“This sounds like very good news but we should view these figures with caution until there’s independent verification – there’s no way that has occurred through breeding and protection alone,” he said.

Rhinos would have been imported, he believes. “They mature late, have long gestation periods and don’t produce many young. Both species take a long time biologically to reproduce.

“Elephants are intelligent – they move across national borders to where they are safer, so if there’s been a clampdown on poaching in Tanzania, it may be that some have moved in.”

It’s estimated there are just 415,000 elephants across Africa, down from 10m 90 years ago.

Demand for ivory has mostly come from China and Vietnam, where it is turned into jewels and ornaments. Research has found some buyers believed tusks and horns grew back.

However, last year trade in ivory in China became illegal, leading to a decline in poaching and pushing down ivory prices. But Japan, the EU and Hong Kong among others still allow ivory trading.

The black rhinoceros is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, after poaching pushed it to the brink of extinction.

Asian cultures value the horn for traditional “medicine” even though science shows it has no benefits.

Tanzania’s figures were released as wildlife investigators worldwide revealed thousands of species had been seized in a major crackdown at borders last month.

“Operation Thunderball” led to seizures of 23 live primates; 30 big cats; more than 4,300 birds; nearly 1,500 reptiles and 10,000 turtles and tortoises globally.

UK teams seized two bear skulls and skins, and four products derived from crocodiles, 10 tanned skins, and four ivory products including binoculars.