5 Recently Extinct Animals You Might Not Know About

4. The Western Black Rhinoceros: A Tragic Loss

The Western black rhinoceros, a subspecies of the black rhinoceros, once roamed the savannas of central-western Africa. Poaching for their horns, driven by demand in traditional medicine markets, led to their dramatic decline. Despite efforts to protect them, the last known Western black rhinos were seen in Cameroon in 2006, and the subspecies was declared extinct in 2011. This tragic loss serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of illegal wildlife trade and the urgent need for international cooperation to combat poaching and protect endangered species from similar fates.