Run Rhino Run!

I thought that I had better show you what a White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium sinum) looks like before the poachers have slaughtered every last one of them for their horns. Rob took these photographs a few years ago and there is a very good (?) chance that they are no longer alive. Look carefully, you may see the tears in the corners of their eyes.

Look, show your grandchildren, they may never see a rhino.

This blog was never intended for political or religious debate, my intention is not to 'take sides' in contentious issues but I am so very angry and disgusted about the plight of our rhinos that I am breaking the rule, hopefully for the first and last time. It is estimated that over 400 rhino will be poached in 2011 in South Africa. That breaks down to one every twenty-one hours and the saddest thing of all is this: Field Rangers and veterinarians have been involved, the very people who should and do know better. However, money talks. Bribery and corruption is common and people think twice about reporting incidents of poaching, fearing for their safety and for the safety of their families. The debate about de-horning the rhino and supplying the market with a steady and legal supply, rages on. This would, on one hand, prevent laundering of illegally obtained horn and hopefully put a stop to poaching. However, many people feel that it would simply force the poachers to move on to remaining horned rhino in other areas. South Africa is home to 93% of the white rhino population and at the present rate of slaughter, the population cannot replace itself.

A peaceful scene.

We have heard reports of poisoned water holes where untold numbers of animals, birds and reptiles die an agonising death. For what? To keep certain people happy in the myth that the horn is an aphrodisiac. One game reserve in Gauteng is experimenting with a poison that they inject into the horn, this doesn't hurt the rhino but would kill someone who ingests it in powdered form. Good, I hope it is slow and painful.

Maybe the last drink it will ever have.

On a slightly more positive note, I was happy to read that two foreign nationals accused of possessing rhino horn illegally, were convicted and sentenced to 12 years and 8 years respectively in the Kempton Park Regional Court on 4 August 2011. I applaud the judge, but sadly, by the time people are arrested for possession, it's too late for the rhino. Poachers need to be caught in the act. My solution? Strip them, mutilate them, cut off their noses, shoot them in the knees and leave them to die slowly, to bleed to death in agony.

Goodbye.

After all, that is what they had planned for the rhino isn't it?