The 2026 ‘State of the Rhino’ report, published by the International Rhino Foundation to mark World Rhino Day, points to real progress in protecting these animals over the past 25 years.
The black rhino, which lives in eastern and southern Africa, more than doubled its population between 2001 and 2025. Over the same period, the Indian rhino, found almost exclusively in India and Nepal, also saw a significant increase.
The foundation’s executive director, Nina Fascione, described the comeback of the Indian rhino as one of the great conservation success stories of our time. The report nonetheless stresses that the gains are not guaranteed and that the Javan and Sumatran species still need urgent protection.
