BLACK RHINO

ENDANGERED AFRICA SERIES

PART 2 OF 10

In the 1970s, an estimated 65,000 Black Rhinos remained in the wild. Today, fewer than 6,500 survive.

This drastic decline has been driven by poaching for horn and loss of habitat, which continue to threaten their recovery despite intensive conservation efforts. While numbers are slowly increasing thanks to protection programs across Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa, the species remains critically endangered.

‘Final Charge’ captures the strength and defiance of the black rhino, a reminder of both their resilience and fragility. Painted in oils with layered glazes and deep shadows, and bright sun-drenched highlights, I wanted to capture the heat of the desert and the barren lands in which theses magnificent animals live.

‘Final Charge’ forms part of my Top 10 Endangered Africa series, created to highlight species on the brink of extinction and the conservation teams working tirelessly to protect them. This painting is a tribute to the black rhino - one of Africa’s most critically endangered and yet astonishing beasts, whose very stance embodies urgency, resilience and hope.