On Tuesday, February 4th, I stood alongside the Pongola rangers to document yet another heartbreaking loss. The stench of decay hung thick in the air, clinging to us as we approached the decaying body of a black rhino. Its once powerful form was now grotesque, overtaken by the relentless creep of decomposition, and maggots squirmed through open wounds, feasting on what remained. 

This black rhino is not just another casualty but a species teetering on the brink of survival. Listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, every life lost pushes them closer to extinction. With fewer than 5,630 individuals remaining in the wild, each death is not just a statistic but a devastating setback to conservation efforts.