As well as declaring the western black rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes) extinct, it records the northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), a subspecies in central Africa, as being on the brink of extinction.

The last Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) outside Java is also believed to have disappeared.

Douglas Adams covered the northern white rhino in Last Chance to See, and it looks like he was right about that one.

Stories like this make me just hate humans as a species.

Andromeda: Douglas Adams covered the northern white rhino in Last Chance to See, and it looks like he was right about that one.

Stephen Fry made a wonderful TV documentary on Adams' journey. Many species in Africa are threatened due to political unrest and wars. It is indeed sad.

What a f*cking waste.

Andromeda: Stories like this make me just hate humans as a species.

Yup.

Andromeda: Douglas Adams covered the northern white rhino in Last Chance to See, and it looks like he was right about that one.

Stories like this make me just hate humans as a species.

Like the scorpion on the frog, we can't help it. It's in our nature.

RexTalionis: Like the scorpion on the frog, we can't help it. It's in our nature

Naw. Rhino extinction is all about the horn having perceived medicinal value in the Far East. And by medicinal value, I mean erection producing. The last time I was in a game park in Africa, they'd actually removed the horns to prevent the animals from being poached.

cpw49684: RexTalionis: Like the scorpion on the frog, we can't help it. It's in our nature

Naw. Rhino extinction is all about the horn having perceived medicinal value in the Far East. And by medicinal value, I mean erection producing. The last time I was in a game park in Africa, they'd actually removed the horns to prevent the animals from being poached.

I meant the effortless abilities on our part of farking up wherever we are. That's our nature. And we can't help it.

RexTalionis: I meant the effortless abilities on our part of farking up wherever we are. That's our nature. And we can't help it.

Ah. I agree totally. Carry on.

Really too bad. Magnificent creatures.

Well, at least some rich guys could get enough rhino horn to get a hard on.

cpw49684: RexTalionis: Like the scorpion on the frog, we can't help it. It's in our nature

Naw. Rhino extinction is all about the horn having perceived medicinal value in the Far East. And by medicinal value, I mean erection producing. The last time I was in a game park in Africa, they'd actually removed the horns to prevent the animals from being poached.

Actually the really weird thing is originally there was nothing saying rhino horn was an aphrodisiac, but rather the biggest demand in the market is due to Yemeni tribesmen using rhino horn for the handle of their handles (apparently that's the most macho, elite kind of knife apparently). It's just that over the years people kept saying the aphrodisiac thing so now there's a demand in the East as well- or at least that's what Adams says in his book.

When I went on safari in Africa yep, they took the horns after the animal died and put them under lock and key in a safe- and in Ngorongoro Crater (new window) where there are only 22 black rhinos left each has GPS tracking and there were rangers posted all around the rim of the crater with high-powered binocs/ night vision goggles to ensure they wouldn't be poached.

Poor rhinos. :-(

Didn't I just see one flying upside down from a helicopter yesterday?

Thanks Chinese assholes who think grinding up endangered species makes magical medicine.

FARTNOISE FARTNOISE JUNIOR: Out of curiosity, we're saving DNA of all these species, right? There's not much we can do with it now, but it's in a nice, refrigerated base for when we can use it, right?

I think there are some in captivity. Captive breeding programs have saved a few species in the past, but rhinos are difficult to breed. Hopefully we can bring them back.

Look, if they didn't want to go extinct, then maybe they shouldn't have been made of delicious aphrodisiacs.

cpw49684: Naw. Rhino extinction is all about the horn having perceived medicinal value in the Far East. And by medicinal value, I mean erection producing

I wonder if demand for these things is decreasing, now that we have viagra et al.

Obviously not having as big an impact as it should.

ginandbacon: FARTNOISE FARTNOISE JUNIOR: Out of curiosity, we're saving DNA of all these species, right? There's not much we can do with it now, but it's in a nice, refrigerated base for when we can use it, right?

I think there are some in captivity. Captive breeding programs have saved a few species in the past, but rhinos are difficult to breed. Hopefully we can bring them back.

The Cincinnati Zoo, Columbus Zoo, and The Wilds have been able to breed them successfully, but it doesn't happen very often.

The Spoony Bard: Everything you see will be extinct someday you realize.

Do you have any idea how many creatures went extinct before mankind even existed?

Such hubris....to believe that the responsibility falls entirely upon mankind. I'm pretty sure things will happen as they should regardless our existence. If a supervolcano erupts tomorrow or a meteor hits the entire planet will expire. Quit sweating it. I'm sure they have the DNA somewhere anyhow, we'll make more some day if we really want to.

Oh well, I feel better now.

pkellmey: ginandbacon: FARTNOISE FARTNOISE JUNIOR: Out of curiosity, we're saving DNA of all these species, right? There's not much we can do with it now, but it's in a nice, refrigerated base for when we can use it, right?

I think there are some in captivity. Captive breeding programs have saved a few species in the past, but rhinos are difficult to breed.

Obviously, they just didn't want to live enough.

Hey, some of us don't breed well in captivity.

The Spoony Bard: Such hubris....to believe that the responsibility falls entirely upon mankind. I'm pretty sure things will happen as they should regardless our existence. If a supervolcano erupts tomorrow or a meteor hits the entire planet will expire. Quit sweating it. I'm sure they have the DNA somewhere anyhow, we'll make more some day if we really want to.

Considering mankind is directly responsible for the extinction, then I would say we have a responsibility to try to stop it.