Rhino Appeal !! Leave Our Horns Alone !!
funnywildlife: funnywildlife: Elle Macpherson Free Zone: She Admits to using Rhino Horn Medicine.
YOU CAN HELP BRING AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO TRADE IN RHINO UNTIL SOUTH AFRICA SORTS OUT ITS RHINO POACHING PROBLEM! http://www.causes.com/actions/1688826?recruiter_id=182821456&utm_campaign=invite&utm_medium=wall&utm_source=fbAfter 1995 the authorities in South Africa began to sell off high value wild animals such as rhino so that private individuals (mostly farmers BUT MORE AND MORE WE HAVE A BOD Y OF EVIDENCE POINTING TO INVESTMENT SYNDICATES) could for the first time obtain these and conduct the business of wildlife farming – a relatively new industry. In their proposal at CoP9, South Africa set out the reasons why the status of the Southern White Rhino should be down listed. They declared a healthy and growing population under effective management and living in the perfect habitat. They claimed that the rhinos could withstand the exploitation that trade would bring and that trade would not lead to reduction in controls in other species. NONE OF THESE CLAIMS ARE VALID TODAY, 20 years on. In fact, since the sale of rhino to private owners the authorities and scientists have lost all control over the recording of population figures, except to say that the numbers don’t add up and this proves that horn is moving illegally from farmers to the Far East. The proposers felt confident enough to promote privatization schemes and trophy hunting, even claiming that trade “will not result in an increased level of undesirable or illegal exploitation of the southern white rhinoceros, in fact the reverse is expected.” THIS HAS ALSO PROVED TO BE WRONG. Rhino species populations are decreasing and even going extinct due to unprecedented increases in poaching. e.g. the Western Black Rhino. In 1994 rhino horn was used for Yemenite dagger making and TCM medicine. The proposers of this industry were surely aware then that rhino horn has no valid medicinal worth. As younger generations spurn old traditions new uses for rhino horn is found by the crime syndicates, such as “hangover cures” for yuppies. The majority of these products would be derived from live animals (using inhumane capture methods, darting with M-99, a practice rejected by animal welfare NGO’s) Ever since CITES was first established the question of trade in rhinoceros horn has been raised over and over again and the issue of poaching remains a problem. Certain parties in South Africa, including Government parastatals insist on keeping the hope of trading horn alive. The International Community is not in agreement and attempts to compromise, for example by agreeing to the South African proposal in 1994, have only worsened the situation. Firm action must be taken immediately if the Southern White Rhino is to be spared the fate of other rhino species, 2 of which went extinct in 2011 – one in a range and one in totality. The escalation of poaching and criminal activity is also driven by new found wealth & status in the Far East. As of the writing of this missive over 400 rhinos have been poached in South Africa this year that we know of. The last few thousand remaining rhinos on earth must receive the highest form of protection NOT increased exploitation. I could mention many other points of discussion but both the CITES Secretariat and NGO’s such as TRAFFIC and IUCN are fully aware of the situation. Unfortunately, because of the proximity of Swaziland and the possibility of rhinos being processed through that country we recommend that the rhino population of that country is also included in our proposal. Especially because Swaziland obtained permission to trade live rhinos on the basis that South Africa had been successful. WE HEREBY REQUEST THAT YOU, OR ONE OF THE AFRICAN OR ASIAN STATE REPRESENTATIVES PROPOSE FOR COP16 IN 2013: THAT SOUTH AFRICA AND SWAZILAND BE SUBJECT TO A CITES “SUSPENSION OF TRADE regarding the SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM SIMUM).” RHINO SOS South Africahttps://www.facebook.com/groups/rhinosos/
Black Rhino!! The rhinoceros is a large, thick-skinned,herbivore having one or two upright hornson the snout. In Africa, There are twodistinct species of rhinos; the Black rhino& the White rhino. Both of these species have 2 upright horns on the snout!!! Courtesy of Ben Forester
Hahaha, look who’s running now!!
funnywildlife: Rhino!! by Richard Millar Photography
The Mighty Rhino!!
OMG !! Rhino Kills African Buffalo!! Awefully sad!!
One of the most dangerous and feared animals in Africa is an African Cape Buffalo. Known for their aggressive nature and protection of the herd, lion would never dare take on a buffalo by themselves. In this first ever documented video footage, we see a Buffalo challenging a Rhino to a fight, and what a fight it was…
The video was taken with a small Sony hdd handheld so please excuse the bumps - it was really difficult to keep still in the vehicle, but the sighting will probably never occur again in our lifetime. This video was chosen by Natgeo Wild for one of their programs because it is not known for a buffalo and rhino to challenge one another.
What begins as a face-off turns into an incredible display of power. The 4500 pound Rhino throws the 1500 pound buffalo into the air and destroys it. The buffalo died a few hours later - his left eye was missing and had severe damage to his body from the horn.
Checkout what the Buffalo Looked like after the fight - we zoomed in and filmed the Buffalo - His left eye that was poked out by the Rhino horn. The Buffalo died a few hours later from internal injuries. As much as we wanted to help, the situation was too dangerous.
Buffalo Dies With Honor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9EmWgh8DiY
Roaming Rhino !! A black dehorned rhinoceros walks around the Bona Bona Game Reserve in Tswana, South Africa, on August 3. by Stephane De Sakutin /Getty Images
Rhino Calf Girl!! American conservation student Alana Russell watches over a four-month-old black rhino calf at the Entabeni Safari Conservancy in South Africa. by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/GettyImages
Rhino!! by Rhino Millar Photography
White Rhino - Masai Mara_1207_1668 by Ken McChesney on Flickr.
“Never, never, be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way”. !! Marthur Luther King (jnr)
