The African black rhino, Diceros bicornis is listed internationally by the IUCN as Critically Endangered and as an endangered species under the national TOPS regulations. Primarily as a result of heavy commercial poaching of the animal for its horn as well as through habitat loss, the continental population crashed from around 65000 in 1970 to 2,410 in 1995. Through strict conservation programmes, the numbers in Africa have since increased, reaching 4,880 by the beginning of 2011.