The species has been a victim of poachers and despite efforts to curb the hunters the rhino has been wiped out.
Lack of conservation has also been blamed for the extinction, leading to renewed efforts to raise awareness about animals that are close to extinction.
A spokesman from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said: 'in the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented.'
Learning from lessons of the black rhino, improvement to conservation plans are being made with priority going to saving species that are close to extinction.
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'These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction.’
The black rhino was last spotted alive in 2006 but a survey by the IUCN has announced that there are now none left. There are only 40-60 Javan rhinos in Indonesia and preservationists are concerned about the future of the species. Conservation efforts have, however, paid off with the white rhino. Numbers had dwindled to less than 100 under 200 years ago due to poaching but now stand at a healthier 20,000.
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