 By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, as few as 29,000 rhinos remain in the wild.Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades.White rhinoceros is an exception as its numbers in Africa have increased from 100 in 1916 to more than 18,000 in 2016 due largely to the increase in private game reserves intended for hunting.