Sorry guys, a little bit of a serious post today. But after scanning the headlines in the news, I noticed that the ongoing investigation on the Rhino poaching case had another breakthrough today and I thought it appropriate to have my little say. The headlines are, that two more people involved in what we are now calling the ‘Groenewald gang’ rhino poaching syndicate, have been arrested.

Now it’s brilliant news that the case is making headway, but what irked me, was who these people actually are. They are not an international poaching syndicates invading our country, sucking up our natural resources and returning back to their own countries wealthy people (although that is bad enough), but our very own born and bred, educated South Africans, two veterinarians, a pilot and a game farmer to name but a few. People that should be investing in the conservation of our country!

These stats are pretty real and pretty scary.

  • 20 rhino carcasses found buried in the Groenewald game farm.
  • 200 rhinos had been killed for their horns since the beginning of this year
  • 13 people arrested, that have been linked to the syndicate

But my question is, why is this still happening? Why are our Rhino’s continually being slaughtered in this manner? Well it’s an Asian mindset that a little bit of rhino powder will enable a not so virile person to ‘perform’ with amazing abilities and willing to pay top Dollar for it! And that’s about all it boils down to, money and sex………… have they not heard of Viagra, COME ON people.

So what is the solution?

Personally I hope that the people involved in the killings get the heaviest sentence available. They need to be made an example of, to discourage future ‘entrepreneurs’ from going down the same road.

We cannot discourage an age old tradition or mindset that Rhino horn is an effective aphrodisiac, but we can make the horn that much harder to sell. Can we not consider ‘tainting’ the horn so that it becomes useless for human consumption but does not damage the Rhino in anyway?

And finally, education, awareness and support is the key, the more people getting involved, the more support the conservation organizations get, the better it will be for the outcome of one of our most endangered animals.

For more information go to-

WWF

Or Join a local support group on Facebook-

HORN