International Union for Conservation of Nature Declares Western Black Rhinos Extinct

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) notes that the Western black rhinos have officially been extinct as of 2011.

According to a press release from 2011, courtesy of the Associated Press (AP), the western black rhino is listed as "extinct" after "reassessments of several Rhinoceros species."  

The white rhino has also been moved to the "possibly extinct in the wild" category, following the Javan Rhino, who is classified as "probably extinct."

This subspecies of the black rhino was classified as last seen in Western Africa in 2006, according to the Red List of Threatened Species.

At this time, the IUCN warns that other rhino species are coming close to extinction as poaching and lack of conversation continues to be a problem for the species.

"In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented," Simon Stuart, chair of the IUCN species survival commission said in a statement, via CNN. "These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction."

The AP notes that the illegal cutting of timber and poaching of elephants and rhinos has been rapidly escalating in crime rings throughout Africa and Asia.

At this time, both Interpol and the United Nations Environmental Program are working to stop such crimes from occurring, some of which cost up to tens of billions of dollars a year, according to Achim Steiner, the U.N. Environmental Program's Executive Director.

According to National Geographic, the black rhino had a pointed upper lip and gathered most of their sustenance from trees and bushes. They used their lips to pluck leaves and fruit from branches, and except for females and their offspring, these animals were known for their solitary lifestyle.