Sierra has sad news to report: the lovable baby black rhinocerous pictured in the July/August issue of the magazine nuzzling its keeper, John Kamara, at Kenya’s Lewa Wildlife Conservancy passed away suddenly at the end of August. The calf was struck by an aggressive infection that killed it within hours. This is particularly tragic since black rhinos are endangered—only 5,055 of them are left.

Rhinos across the globe are in trouble. Poaching (their horns are coveted in Asia for purported medicinal benefits) and habitat loss are the main culprits. But heroic efforts are being made to save this iconic beast from extinction. Here’s a roundup of some recent rhino success stories:

All in the Family

The Sumatran rhino has just been declared officially extinct in Malaysia, so it’s up to the 100 or so individuals on the island of Sumatra to perpetuate the species. In September, Indonesian conservation officials announced that a Sumatran rhino at a sanctuary on the island is pregnant for the second time. The father of both calves, Andalas, was moved to the sanctuary in 2007 from the Cincinnati zoo. This October, the zoo is sending Andalas’ younger brother, Harapan, the last Sumatran rhino in the United States, to join the growing family with the hope that he, too, will find a mate and reproduce.

Candid Camera

Conservationists rejoiced in September when three Javan calves were caught on a wildlife camera in Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park. The new arrivals bring this last remaining population of Javan rhinos up to 60. While that’s shockingly low, it’s twice as many as there were 50 years ago.

Seed of Hope

The situation is dire for the northern white rhino. Only four of them remain, and hopes that they will reproduce naturally have faded. But conservationists at Ol Pejeta in Kenya aren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. They are hatching a plan to implant a fertilized egg from this subspecies into the womb of a southern white rhino, a subspecies that has a stable population of more than 20,000. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Heavy Cargo

Last June, eight black rhinos were airlifted from Zimbabwe to Botswana’s Okvango Delta to keep them safe from poachers. One of them endured the journey while heavily pregnant. Despite the stress, she managed to successfully give birth in mid-September. The news was announced just before World Rhino Day, giving rhino lovers everywhere a reason to cheer.