Southern white rhinoceros males, Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa

© David Silverman/Getty Image

Sorry to crash your party. World Rhinoceros Day

Keep the five alive! That is the mission of World Rhinoceros Day, rhino specialists, and fans around the globe. Those five species are: the Javan, Sumatran, greater one-horned, black, and white rhinoceros. It is the white rhino which can be seen on our homepage, identified by its two horns and square lip.

The wild rhino population globally is estimated to be under 27,000—less than the average capacity at a Major League Baseball stadium. While there have been conservation successes, ensuring these amazing animals survive is a continuing challenge. Habitat loss is one threat, but rhinos are particularly targeted by poachers for their horns. Parks like the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, pictured above, employ anti-poaching squads to keep these rhinos safe.