Our darling Rhinos…

As you know, our Rhinos are in mortal danger.  Literally.

According to Rhino Lifeline South Africa,

“South Africa is losing an average of two rhino every three days.  This crisis is the most significant conservation issue the country has faced. South Africa is custodian to most of the world’s remaining rhino.  We are the rhino’s last stand.”

And according to IOL,

“Johannesburg – South Africa is heading for a new world record – and it’s nothing to be proud of.

Rhino experts warned on Monday that if the current rate of poaching continued until December, poachers were likely to set a new world record of almost 1 000 rhino killings in South Africa in a single year.

The expectation is based on the fact that at least 446 rhino have been killed in the first six months of the year.

This estimate of between 900 to 1 000 killings (equivalent to about 10 percent of the country’s remaining rhino population in the space of just 12 months) would eclipse all previous statistics since the white rhino was driven to the brink of extinction more than a century ago.”

And according to Stop Rhino Poaching,

“Since the start of the poaching epidemic in 2008 South Africa has lost over 2000 rhinos – a figure that, despite so much effort, increases daily. Coupled with the increasing poaching figure comes the question – why after all this are we still losing more rhino than ever? Sadly, few people realize the challenges facing those on the frontlines – thousands of kilometers to patrol with little to no idea of where the poachers plan to hit next. At this stage the poachers have the upper hand – they know when, they know how, and if need be they’ll just come back another day or hit a softer target.”

It is sad.  These stately creatures need us to look after and care for them, as is God‘s commands to us.  I feel so privileged and honoured to have the Kragga Kamma Game Farm a mere 20 minutes drive from our home and we were quite awestruck to experience what could very well be the last remaining Rhinos of our time.

And I have not stopped thinking of these poor defenseless creatures since.  It is good to be aware and I hope we can win the fight.

Click here to see how the Kragga Kamma Game Park dehorn their Rhinos – here.

Related articles

• S. Africa Proposes Legal Auction of $1B Worth of Rhino Horn (voanews.com)
• Saving South African Rhinos Injured While Poaching (natureworldnews.com)
• Rhino trafficking: Down the rabbit hole at the Kruger Park (dailymaverick.co.za)
• SA backs legal rhino horn trade (iol.co.za)
• As Rhino Poaching Surges, South Africa Proposes Legalized Trade in Precious Horns (blogs.scientificamerican.com)
• South Africa Backs Proposal to Legalize Rhino Horn Trade – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• Fighting a booming trade in rhino horns (thestar.com)
• Vets Help Severely Maimed African Rhinos That Survive Attack by Poachers (scienceworldreport.com)
• The Rhinos Were Collared – Thank You For Helping! (mysmallstillvoice.wordpress.com)
• Drones join war on rhino poachers in South Africa (telegraph.co.uk)