We must act to save endangered rhinos

By Ron Wallace

October 20, 2008 | Around the world there are species of animals that are close to being put on the endangered species list if they are not already on it. This continues to happen for many animals every year until they become extinct.

Many people probably brush this off as if it isn't important, but for those who really do care we can save these animals. Sometimes putting them back into the habitat that is natural for them and protecting them is all that is needed. If we do this they can start increasing in numbers at an incredible rate. Since there are a lot of animals that can be spoken about when it comes to this topic I had to limit my choice down to just one. I decided to choose the rhino and what can be done to help it from becoming extinct.

There was a television series in the late 1980s called Macgyver and I was watching some reruns the other day. One episode called "Black Rhino" was about poachers who cut off the horns of rhinos. After they cut off the horns they would leave them defenseless, to die a painful death. The episode was played in 1989. At the end of the episode the actor who plays Macgyver, Richard Dean Anderson, announced that there are very few black rhinos in Africa left today and unless something is done they will become extinct by the year 2000.

After seeing this episode I decided to find out if there are any of these black rhinos existing in 2008. Fortunately they are still existing because of some efforts that have been made, but I discovered there are also a few other species of rhinos that are on the verge of becoming extinct.

The American Wildlife Foundation reports, "Since 1970 the world rhino population has declined by 90 percent, with five species remaining in the world today, all of which are endangered." The reason for this dramatic decline is because they are being killed by poachers.

The reason they are being killed is because of their horn. The horn is not an actual bone but a mass of fibers attached to the skin of the snout. Its substance is similar to fingernails and to hooves. People want their horn for a couple of reasons: 1) they believe it can be used for medical reasons such as reducing fever, and 2) they also use it to make ceremonial knives worn by young men. This idea about the horn being used for medicinal purposes is just a tradition or myth and doesn't appear to actually have any effect. Chemical tests have shown that the horn has no medicinal effect.

The problem is people in Asia and the Middle East have a firm belief that these horns are of great value. It has been instilled in their minds for over a generation that they will actually be healed by the horns. Poachers will kill rhinos because they can sell the horns on the black market at a very high price. Poachers aren't concerned that they are directly causing the extinction of this magnificent animal.

If the near extinction of the five species of rhinos is going to be stopped the public in Asia needs to be informed that the horns aren't helping their medical ailments as they believe it does. Different medicines are being created that actually do what the horn can't to heal these medical conditions. This medicine needs to be offered at a cheaper price than what people are paying for the horns. Ceremonial knives aren't as big of a concern but if they could find some type of a substitute to replace it that would also help.

There have been efforts made to stop the illegal international trade in rhino horn. Harsher penalties are being introduced for people for people caught poaching.

Of the rhinos that exist on the earth today some are large in numbers but some are few. The British Broadcasting Corporation reported in 2004 that there were fewer than 60 Javan Rhinos, which are located in Asia, and fewer than 300 Sumatran Rhinos, are also located in Asia. They reported that there are around 2,400 Indian Rhinos in India and Nepal. In Africa there are around 3,100 Black Rhinos, 11,000 Southern White Rhinos and 30 Northern White Rhinos.

"The wild population of Africa's Northern White Rhino could die out in six months unless poaching is stopped, a London conference has heard," said the BBC. They have a park to protect them but poachers will sneak into the park to kill them. In fact in a report by the BBC the poachers killed two guards the last time they were poaching rhinos.

They've had a lot of success in bringing back the Southern White Rhino because of efforts made in the early 20th century. People began to protect the Southern White Rhino on their farms and reserves. It was actually close to extinction but made a great recovery to where there were 11,000 of them existing in Africa in 2004.

It goes to show what 100 years of effort can do to help a species that is on the endangered list, to increase or be reintroduced when people are participating. This is good news for the other species of rhinos that are close to extinction, such as the Javan Rhino and Sumatran Rhino in Asia. It requires effort by the people to make this happen, however. They need land from the government for reserves and protection so the rhinos can start to increase in size again.

Rhinos have no true predators except man. Because of their size they are easy prey and still very desired. They have always been able protect themselves in the wild from other animals and where they live they have plenty to eat.

"The decline in rhino numbers is unfortunate in an era of increasing conservation and wildlife awareness, but efforts are underway to save the rhino from extinction," said the American Wildlife Foundation. Donations can be made to help rhino conservation at http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/html/rhino_conservation.html.. It is important that we donate to help rhinos as well as other endangered species from becoming extinct.

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