Rhinos are one of the great elders of the animal kingdom. Ancient bushman rock paintings in Southern Africa depict rhinos, which have always played an important role in the circle of life. They are prehistoric creatures and according to science they have been around for 50 million years. They represent an ancient wisdom of the beauty of solitude private thoughts. The rhino is the symbol of Africa, If we lose the wise elder rhino, then we lose the wisdom of Africa.
At the beginning of the 19th century, there were one million rhinos in the wild. By , there were around 70, The insatiable demand from Vietnam and China has resulted in the worst 4 years on record for rhinos. Poachers in South Africa killed , , and rhinos respectively in the last four years, often in the most gruesome circumstances, where their horns are brutally removed whilst they are still alive.
The taking of younger rhino as young as two weeks and smaller horns is on the increase and confirmed by carcasses of very young rhinos with horns removed found at poaching sites. In South Africa the White Rhino, which is near threatened at 18, individuals, and the Black rhino, which is already critically endangered with just 4, individuals left in the wild, are facing an uncertain future and close to extinction, probably by as early as We are losing 3 a day and the figure is increasing!
Arguably, rhino horn is currently one of the most valuable natural resources. One could argue that, composed largely of keratin, it has little value other than to the rhino but rhino horn is in demand as a commodity equal to drugs and weapons for global crime syndicates. The horn probably has the most value for the rhino itself. The rhino uses its horn for protection and defence, mark territory, display, digging, pushing, lifting and carrying, breaking branches, rolling etc.
The rhino mother uses her horn to protect, defend, guide, lift and break branches for the calf. The horns have a concave base which sits on a bony protuberance growth point on the front of the skull. Underlying the horn base is a large network of sinus cavities and supporting structures. Under natural or free ranging conditions, the horn may break off, become detached or damaged as a result of general use, wear and tear, or fighting.
Generally, if the damage is not severe, the horn grows back. Rhinos help keep a balance within the ecosystem. Keeping the land habitual with plenty of grazing and consuming large amounts of vegetation, they will continue to shape the landscape — each rhino playing an important role in where they live. As rhinos have been around for many years, they create a lot of tourism. With these animals on the way to extinction, the protection is also a huge part of ecotourism, which is a big source of income for locals.
The protection creates tons of land for conservation purposes, benefiting other species such as elephants in the conservation as well. This goes to show that rhinos benefit the communities, species and habitats around them. Three out of the five species are endangered: Javan, Sumatran and Black. As some are on the brink of extinction the number of total rhinos have extremely decreased. There used to be around , rhinos once roaming free but today there are approximately 27, Very few rhinos can actually survive in the wild by themselves.
National parks and reserves are essential for the species to live because of these current threat factors. Rhinos have been endangered for decades now because of the continual decrease of these animals in the wild.
Without our help this beautiful animal could face extinction in the next 10 years. Morally we should tend to those suffering and help those in need. Conserving habitat and saving the rhinos not only protects the animals but also the local people.
In Africa rhinos are important because of their grazing habits. This helps shape the landscape for all wildlife and the natural resources for the local communities around. The solution for this cause needs to come globally and help those in need.
Powers Project Podcast is a podcast that looks on the outside of the box. It is a thought provoking take on life itself. The end of last year he posted a podcast about saving baby rhinos. He speaks about poaching as a threat of existence and what humans can do to help. The biggest threat to these huge animals is poachers. They brutally saw the horn off and kill the rhino. This is illegal but many horns are sold on the black market.
The black market is a transaction platform where illegal purchases are made. These horns can sell on this platform for thousands of dollars. Mainly used for decorations and in some cases for Asian medicine. The horn is made from keratin, which is protein and is said to treat illnesses when in powder form. Poachers only take the horn from the rhino and leave the animal to die.
Check postage dates Dismiss. Skip to content ACT. Members Area. Members Login. With your support, we are saving the rhino Together, we can stop poaching and habitat loss.
Rhino poaching has reached crisis point, and across the globe rhino habitat is shrinking. Protecting Rhinos. Reducing Illegal Horn Trade. Involving Communities. Bringing Experts Together.
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