White Rhino Distribution Table by Country

Table 1. Numbers of white rhinos in Africa as of 31 Dec 2003 by country and subspecies

Compiled by IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group

Species: White Rhino
Subspecies	C.s.cottoni (northern)	C.s.simum (southern)	Total	Trend
Botswana		67	67	Up+Intro
Cameroon
DR Congo	10		22	Down
Ethiopia
Kenya		218	218	Up
Malawi
Mozambique		2	2	?
Namibia		186	186	Up
Rwanda
South Africa		10,536	10,536	Up*
Swaziland		61	61	Up
Tanzania
Zambia		3	3	Down
Zimbabwe		250	250	Up

Totals	10	11,320	11,330	Up*
Table excludes speculative guesstimates Numbers primarily compiled at (SADC RPRC and WWF funded) IUCN SSC AfRSG Meeting held in Kenya 6-11 June 2004 Numbers of D.b.minor in Tanzania, D.b.bicornis in Namibia, D.b.michaeli in Kenya, D.b.longipes in Cameroon and C.cottoni in DRC may be higher but this requires confirmation. White rhino trend is up but total numbers down 2.5% compared to 2001 due to estimate for largest population of southern white rhino (Kruger NP) declining substantially due to using more conservative figure for 2003 than 2001, and possibly in part due to sampling error (95% conf. levels around the 2003 estimate = ±23.3%). S.African total = 2003 figures used for State and Defence force areas and 2002 figures for Private, Municipal, Zoo & Biosphere reserves The South African southern white rhino total using only 2002 figures was 10,306 (quoted in earlier country totals). The numbers of southern white rhinos outside Kruger has increased by 809 (+13.5%) over the last 2 years and there is no evidence of an actual decline in Kruger. Subspecies totals >500 rounded to nearest 10 rhino. Exact Swaziland numbers of D.b.minor given to AfRSG but are being kept confidential until authority is obtain to release them. In the meantime the table shows an approximation to the true number. Poaching continues in Garamba NP and the latest estimate as of September 2004 is only 15.

Join our E-mail List