In twenty years' time, the only place where we will probably be able to observe rhinos will be a zoo, or a so-called zoological park — in any case imprisoned, in cages of varying sizes. A fate that does not do justice to these enormous and ancient creatures that for millions of years dominated the plains of Eurasia.

Human beings and rhinos have shared the planet for millennia, as testified by the magnificent drawings depicting these animals found in the Chauvet cave in southern France, dating back more than 30,000 years. The future is bleak for rhinos, however, above all because of poaching. These enormous herbivores are persecuted on account of their horn, which has reached exorbitant prices — 90,000 dollars per kilogram, more than cocaine.

The rhino horn, for which the animals are mutilated and torn apart, is used primarily in Asian traditional medicine; it is believed to combat impotence and to possess numerous healing properties. Since the horn is made of keratin — the same substance as our nails — any beneficial power attributed to it is the product of ignorance and popular beliefs with no scientific basis whatsoever.

In 1970 more than 70,000 rhinos lived in Africa; today, according to estimates by the organisation Save The Rhino, approximately 20,500 white rhinos survive, along with just under 5,000 black rhinos. If the mortality rate of these pachyderms does not decrease — the data point to one rhino killed every seven hours — rhinos could be extinct in the wild in fewer than 28 years.

In an attempt to reverse this trend and raise awareness among governments and the public, WWF established World Rhino Day. The day, celebrated on 22 September and launched in 2010 by WWF South Africa, celebrates the five surviving rhino species — two African and three Asian — descended from the more than thirty species that lived on Earth over sixty million years ago.

These are the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum), the black rhino (Diceros bicornis), the Indian rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus Desmarest).

Since its establishment, World Rhino Day has rapidly become a global phenomenon, capable of uniting NGOs, environmental organisations, businesses, zoological gardens and individuals from almost every corner of the world.

Numerous countries take part in the day by organising events and initiatives; the reference hashtag on social networks is #worldrhinoday. To save rhinos it is necessary to intensify protective measures, monitor the animals and robustly defend areas designated for wildlife.

The rhino's appearance is almost the same as it was twenty million years ago; what has changed is the world around it. There is only one place where a rhino's horn should be: on the face of a rhino.