Meet Sandy (left) She lives in KwaZulu/Natal-South Africa and the only thing keeping her alive are her missing horns. Despite being a 'white' rhino, there is no colour difference between them and their cousins the 'black' rhino. Their large and muscular hump behind their equally large heads is a tell between the two. They rely heavily on smell, sound and vibrations and thats why you'll find their heads constantly at ground level, hence the strong neck, and they like to graze, ALOT.
Like Elephants, Rhinos have the title of 'megaherbivore' which is a 2000kg herbivore and a keystone species essential to the success of the ecosystem they dwell in. As one of the grassland custodians, they have a profound impact on the flora and in turn the feeding and roaming habits of all the other herbivores, birds, water flow, predators, scavengers, insects- the list is long. The control of the open fields by both the elephants and rhinos have a significant influence on how the grasslands or 'short-grass' grows and without the rhino, you'll find an empty savanna.
Back to her missing horns, they were removed with a chainsaw and could regrow after about 3 years but she will have an occasional trim.
In a response to a sudden and relatively unknown demand for rhino horn from Asia, stockpiles from protected areas, museums and reserves were being raided. The biggest threat and impact comes from the unprecedented and merciless attacks from poachers.
10 years ago the official number of rhino poached in South Africa was 13. At 2010 the estimated population number of white rhino was 18796 and the number of black rhino was 1916.
Since 2007 poachers have claimed the lives of over 6000 rhino in South Africa alone.
Money, it seems, again has no limits to the destruction left in its wake. The value of the horns supersedes the value of the animal and the environment it affects.
The other ingredient to this explosive mix is the human element. Anti poaching groups with over 200 organisations are involved to curb this pandemic which has led to armed conflict and in cases, death both of the poacher and protector. Rangers have died to protect the animal and poachers have died for the money.
crazy.
Its such a travesty that a whole nation with archaic beliefs are causing the possible extinction of this magnificent animal.
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