Episode Information

Hundreds of species of rhinoceros once roamed the Earth - but today only five are left. In an effort to understand more about these incredibly tough, yet threatened animals, British wildlife presenter Nigel Marven travels the world to track down the five remaining species. He also meets some amazing people who are using science to help them survive. Taking a step back in time, Nigel also breathes life into the bones of an extinct one - the woolly rhinoceros, which if it were alive today, would be found roaming the English countryside. Nigel's quest to find all five species of rhino begins in the nature parks of Africa, where he gets up close to the relatively tame and approachable African white rhino. He also joins a research team in South Africa, tagging and tracking the black rhino, hoping to increase population numbers - and so far it's working, with rhino numbers on the way up. Unfortunately rhinos continue to be slaughtered for their horns, which are used in eastern medicine. Scientists are yet to produce any evidence that the horn actually contains any healing properties. To track down the one horned Asian rhino, Nigel travels to Assam in India. With its armour-like hide and one horn, the Asian rhino really is a throwback to prehistoric times. An elephant ride through the rhino park provides the best views. More difficult to track is the highly endangered Javan rhino. The thick underbrush of the forest is home to this elusive animal. Unfortunately illegal logging and poaching in the area is impacting dramatically on their population numbers. Nigel's final destination is the nearby rainforests of Sumatra. It is home to the smallest and hairiest of rhino species the Sumatran rhino.