Soon, we might say rhinoceros the way we say dinosaur.
In South Africa, over 1,200 rhinos were killed in 2014 alone, feeding the illegal trade in rhino horn. The official number is pegged at 1215, which is a 21% increase over 2013, National Geographic reported.
High demand for rhino horn continues unabated in China and Vietnam, where the wildlife contraband is coveted by traditional medicine-makers as an ingredient in preparing aphrodisiacs. It’s another thing that there is nothing special or magical about the horns, scientifically speaking. They are composed of keratin, the same material that is found in human hair and nails.
South Africa is home to an estimated 18,000 white rhinos and about 1,800 black rhinos. The names black and white are misnomers, in fact, for the animals are distinguished by the shape of their upper lips. The white rhino might be better known as the square-lipped rhino and the black rhino as the hook-lipped rhino.
Tragically, most rhinos poached in South Africa in 2014 were killed in Kruger National Park, supposedly a fortress for wildlife. The reason for this, experts believe, is the porous border the park, in the north of the country, shares with Mozambique, a poorer nation than South Africa. From 10 to 15 animals killed every year in 2007, the clock is clearly ticking for the rhino.
These photos (credit: AFP) tell the tale of the rhino’s march to a grim future.
This photo shows a bird sitting on the head of a white rhino taken at Kruger National Park, some 60 kms from Nelspruit in South Africa on June 22, 2010.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY TABELO TIMSE Nine-month-old rhinoceros called Vuma is pictured at the animal orphanage of the private Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve on July 21, 2010 in Krugersdorp, north of Johannesburg. The animal orphanage recently welcomed Vuma, who was orphaned after poachers hacked out his mother's horn and left her dead.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY TABELO TIMSE Rhinoceros graze in the private Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve on July 21, 2010 in Krugersdorp, north of Johannesburg. The reserve has an animal orphanage who recently welcomed a nine-month-old rhinoceros called Vuma, who was orphaned after poachers hacked out his mother's horn and left her dead.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY GRIFFIN SHEA A ranger from South African National Parks (SANParks) participates at a night patrol exercice with South African National Defence Force (SANDF) company against rhino's poachers on July 19, 2011 along the Mozambique border in the Kruger National Park. The military began patrolling in Kruger in April, as part of a general shift of border patrols from the police to soldiers, but also to combat a surge in rhino poaching. In April, South African soldiers were deployed in Kruger National Park to safeguard the border with Mozambique, where heavily armed and highly organised poachers have driven the slaughter of rhinos to record levels to feed an Asian black market for traditional medicine. The poachers slip across the Mozambican border with night-vision goggles, AK-47s, hunting rifles, and in one case, a grenade. Fifteen poachers have been killed in shoot-outs so far this year in Kruger, nine wounded and 64 arrested.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Justine Gerardy A badly injured white rhino lies in a hollow with a drip set up by a veterinarian into its ears to give him water and medication, on Aquila Game Reserve in Touws River, some 180 Km North of Cape Town, on August 22, 2011, after poachers sawed off its horn. Poachers attacked three of the six rhinos of the reserve, killing one outright and injuring this one badly. This rhino bull was tranquilised by poachers, who then sawed off his primary horn, and began cutting the smaller one, but were apparently disturbed and left. The critically injured male is one of the latest victims in South Africa's rhino bloodbath, which is surging on privately owned reserves as criminal syndicates target easier prey for the Asian black market. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine to cure a range of ailments from fever to cancer, and sells for more than cocaine despite having no scientific medicinal value. South Africa has lost 275 rhinos to poaching this year, up from 13 in 2007, with a recent swing to private reserves which hold about a quarter of the country's rhinos.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Justine Gerardy A badly injured white rhino lies in a hollow after poachers sawed off its horn on Aquila Game Reserve in Touws River, some 180 Km North of Cape Town, on August 22, 2011. Poachers attacked three of the six rhinos of the reserve, killing one outright and injuring this one badly. This rhino bull was tranquilised by poachers, who then sawed off his primary horn, and began cutting the smaller one, but were apparently disturbed and left. The critically injured male is one of the latest victims in South Africa's rhino bloodbath, which is surging on privately owned reserves as criminal syndicates target easier prey for the Asian black market. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine to cure a range of ailments from fever to cancer, and sells for more than cocaine despite having no scientific medicinal value. South Africa has lost 275 rhinos to poaching this year, up from 13 in 2007, with a recent swing to private reserves which hold about a quarter of the country's rhinos.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Justine Gerardy Two members of the Aquila Game Reserve's anti-poaching unit pose at Aquila Game Reserve in Touws River, some 180 Km North of Cape Town, on August 22, 2011, after poachers sawed off the horn of a white rhino. Poachers attacked three of the six rhinos of the reserve, killing one outright and injuring this one badly. This rhino was tranquilised by poachers, who then sawed off his primary horn, and began cutting the smaller one, but they were apparently disturbed and left. The critically injured male is one of the latest victims in South Africa's rhino bloodbath, which is surging on privately owned reserves as criminal syndicates target easier prey for the Asian black market. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine to cure a range of ailments from fever to cancer, and sells for more than cocaine despite having no scientific medicinal value. South Africa has lost 275 rhinos to poaching this year, up from 13 in 2007, with a recent swing to private reserves which hold about a quarter of the country's rhinos.
A South African protester holds a sign and a fake rhino horn during a demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Pretoria, on September 22, 2011, calling on the government to stop poachers from killing rhinos for their horns. The government announced that over 300 animals had already been killed this year, and these illegal poaching activities are primarily fueled by a demand for horns in China and Vietnam.
Two white rhinoceros walk in Limpopo on March 12, 2012 near the new site of a Rhinoceros orphanage yet to be built. The centre will take in baby rhinoceroses orphaned or injured by poachers. Rhinos will be wiped out from South Africa's wildlife parks by 2015 if poaching continues at its current rate, a campaigner fighting to save the beasts has warned.
A white rhinoceros stands in Limpopo on March 12, 2012 near the new site of a Rhinoceros orphanage yet to be built. The centre will take in baby rhinoceroses orphaned or injured by poachers. Rhinos will be wiped out from South Africa's wildlife parks by 2015 if poaching continues at its current rate, a campaigner fighting to save the beasts has warned.
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