Heightened conservation efforts result in several hundred more African black rhinos in the wild

It's happening slowly, but African black rhinos are making a recovery in the wild.

Poaching left the African black rhino nearly extinct, and conservationists went into overdrive trying to find a way to save the animal. Some were moved to new habitat, ensuring viable breeding populations, and stronger laws were also enacted to target poachers.

Researchers found that in 2012, there were 4,845 black rhinos in the wild. Amid the increased conservation efforts, the population rose 2.5 percent annually over six years, and there were an estimated 5,630 black rhinos in the wild in 2018. There are three subspecies of black rhino, and all of their numbers have increased.

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While the black rhino still needs to be diligently protected, "the continued slow recovery is a testament to the immense efforts made in the countries and a powerful reminder that conservation works," Grethel Aguilar, acting director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, told The Guardian Thursday.