They had come prepared; heavily armed and with enough food to last several days however the significant weapons they carried were axes which are used to barbarically cut off the rhino horn leaving them to die slowly if they’re not already dead.
In the last decade, we have lost over 7,000 rhinos in South Africa predominately from Kruger National Park, a 19,485 km² protected habitat on South Africa’s northeastern border with Mozanbique. Kruger Park was consistently suffering these heavy losses in rhino numbers so the government and international donors have funded new initiatives and increased numbers of anti-poaching army units on the ground. As the fight to protect the remaining rhinos to allow them to breed and thrive in slowing making inroads in Kruger, many gangs are moving to surrounding countries where there aren’t the same resources.
These horrifying numbers are a result of the belief that rhino horn has medicinal or virile properties. Recent studies have shown that the belief that rhino horn is of benefit is emotional rather than medicinal. Source here.
These numbers can’t continue or within 10 years the rhinos will all be gone. Thankfully Australia is playing its part by establishing a breeding program at Monarto Zoo in South Australia. Satara is the dominant breeding bull and Umqali is one of the breeding females who are Southern White Rhinos and were direct imports from Kruger. There have been 5 rhino calves born at the zoo in recent years.
We at Africa Roar are passionate about preserving rhino numbers and we support the preservation and survival of all the animals including the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros (both black & white species) elephant and Cape buffalo.
Til next time,
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