Bust the Myth – Save the Species!

We are excited to announce the launch the of Bust the Myth – Save the Species, a global public awareness campaign calling for a coalition approach to debunking the rhino horn medicine myth.

A coalition approach

It’s time for NGOs, zoos, educational institutions, traditional media, social media, and the public to stand together and bust the rhino horn myth: Rhino horn has no medicinal properties, no curative benefits, and no magical powers!

In addition to English, our Bust the Myth – Save the Species posters and t-shirts have been translated into Chinese (Mandarin) and Vietnamese, so that wildlife supporters and friends of the rhino in China and Vietnam can share the message in their own language.

Until we acknowledge the root of the problem, we cannot take real steps to solve it. – Rhishja Larson, founder of Saving Rhinos. Read more from the Mongabay interview Belief and butchery: how lies and organized crime are pushing rhinos to extinction

Global campaign to protect rhinos

In response to email queries and geographic data collected from website traffic, it is clear that wildlife advocates in the two countries identified as rhino horn destinations – China and Vietnam – are eager to join the global campaign to protect rhinos from the illegal trade in rhino horn.

Based on requests for translated materials, we have made the Bust the Myth – Save the Species campaign message available to everyone.

Links to the t-shirts and posters are at the end of this article, or visit the new campaign page on our website now.

Support is growing for wildlife conservation

Wildlife conservation and animal advocacy is supported by a growing number of citizens in Southeast Asia and China, especially among the younger demographic.

Many celebrities are speaking out against illegal wildlife trafficking.

We like this quote from Jackie Chan, in the book Black Market: Inside the Endangered Species Trade in Asia.

If our descendants have to ask us why they can only see animals like rhinoceroses in paintings and photographs, how can we tell them that it’s because some people among our ancestors felt that rhinoceros horns had medicinal value and killed them?

Three different studies, three separate teams, and three unrelated institutions conclude that rhino horn has no medicinal value. Read the article Busting the Rhino Horn Myth with Science.

A doctor speaks up for rhinos

In September 2010, Dr. Albert Lim Kok Hooi, a consulting oncologist based in Kuala Lumpur, published a most welcome article in Malaysia’s popular online news portal, The Star Online in which he dismissed the notion of rhino horn’s effectiveness as a medicine.

A lingering cultural belief in traditional medicines (most are based on TCM) in Southeast Asia, and the impact on rhino conservation efforts prompted Dr. Hooi speak up on behalf of the embattled pachyderms.

To all this, I say that something that works for everything usually works for nothing. I also say that something that has been used for hundreds or thousands of years does not make it right.

The oncologist sums it up in a compassionate statement underscoring the fact that rhino horn contains no curative properties.

The whole sad story of killing the rhino for its horn is not only criminal, it is cruel, immoral and unforgivably, without any scientific basis.

Although Dr. Hooi comes from a generation whose medical knowledge was shaped by myths about the alleged magical powers of animal parts, he realizes that these notions have no place in modern medicine.

CITES Secretariat

The following is from the 2010 CITES Report of the Secretariat, CoP15 Doc. 45.1 Interpretation and implementation of the Convention – Species trade and conservation: Rhinoceroses:

The Secretariat is also very conscious, however, of the need to respond to the belief that rhinoceros horn is efficacious in the treatment or prevention of cancer. It is despicable that criminals are financially exploiting sufferers, and their relatives, at a time when they will be struggling to cope with distressing and sometimes terminal medical conditions.

About the t-shirts and posters

The translated t-shirt message is Bust the Myth, Save the Species. International shipping to China, Vietnam, and most other countries!

• Bust the Myth – Save the Species t-shirts in English
• Bust the Myth – Save the Species t-shirts in Chinese (Mandarin)
• Bust the Myth – Save the Species t-shirts in Vietnamese

Please note all merchandise is available online only.

Download posters:

• Bust the Myth – Save the Species poster in English
• Bust the Myth – Save the Species poster in Chinese (Mandarin)
• Bust the Myth – Save the Species poster in Vietnamese

Get a Bust the Myth – Save the Species profile pic from the Saving Rhinos Facebook® page.

Visit the Bust the Myth – Save the Species campaign page on our website.

• Read the article Busting the Rhino Horn Myth with Science.
• Buy the book Murder, Myths & Medicine – formidable forces behind the illegal trade in rhino horn! Murder, Myths & Medicine features exclusive photographs and is the world’s first book to highlight the rhino crisis events of 2010. (Please note this book contains graphic images.)

All designs, images, and photos © Saving Rhinos LLC

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Scientific studies conclude rhino horn is worthless as a remedy.

As part of our continued efforts to set the record straight on rhino horn’s so-called curative properties, we would like to re-introduce three scientific studies confirming that rhino horn has no medicinal value. The studies were conducted by different teams of researchers at separate institutions.

In each case, the results were conclusive: There is no scientific evidence to support claims of rhino horn’s usefulness as a medicine.

Public awareness and education

We believe that today’s network of communication tools, such as social media, will make it possible for these findings to reach a global audience like never before – and we can move closer to busting these persistent myths about rhino horn, which are indeed the root of the rhino crisis.

By raising public awareness and educating others about the truth behind rhino horn, we can make a difference.

Scientific evidence ignored; rhino population plummets

When there were still at least 15,000 black rhinos on the African continent, WWF and the IUCN commissioned a pharmacological study of rhino horn, hoping that science would trump cultural myths.

Conducted by Hoffmann-LaRoche, the research was published in The Environmentalist.

The study “found no evidence that rhino horn has any medicinal effect as an antipyretic and would be ineffective in reducing fever, a common usage in much of Asia.”

Testing also confirmed that “rhino horn, like fingernails, is made of agglutinated hair” and “has no analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmolytic nor diuretic properties” and “no bactericidal effect could be found against suppuration and intestinal bacteria.”

Tragically, by 1993, ten years after the study was published, Africa’s black rhino population had plummeted to just 2,300.

Rhino horn in the laboratory – again

Later analysis of rhino horn by Dr. Raj Amin at the Zoological Society of London confirmed what had been found earlier by the pharmacological testing done by Hoffmann-LaRoche.

There was still no evidence to support the notion that rhino horn was of any medicinal value. Check out Dr. Amin’s video:

“There is no evidence at all that any constituent of rhino horn has any medical property. Medically, it’s the same as if you were chewing your own nails,” says Dr. Amin.

Of rats and rhino horn

The usefulness of rhino horn as a medicine was also debunked by scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who published their findings in the research study Ethnopharmacology of Rhinoceros Horn. I: Antipyretic Effects of Rhinoceros Horn and Other Animal Horns.

Although fever-induced rats showed temporary lowering of temperature after being injected with an extremely high concentration of rhino horn extract, there was no antipyretic effect at the dosage levels comparable to what would be prescribed to a human patient.

Apparently, based on the results of this study, rhinoceros horn can reduce fever, but only at rather high dosage levels when prescribed as a single drug.

It is worth noting that while the Chinese University at Hong Kong study is often cited as “evidence” that rhino horn does indeed reduce fever, the above details (rats and dosage levels) are frequently omitted.

‘Something that works for everything works for nothing’

In September 2010, Dr. Albert Lim Kok Hooi, a consulting oncologist based in Kuala Lumpur, published a most welcome article in Malaysia’s popular online news portal, The Star Online in which he dismissed the notion of rhino horn’s effectiveness as a medicine.

A lingering cultural belief in traditional medicines (most are based on TCM) in Southeast Asia, and the impact on rhino conservation efforts prompted Dr. Hooi speak up on behalf of the embattled pachyderms.

To all this, I say that something that works for everything usually works for nothing. I also say that something that has been used for hundreds or thousands of years does not make it right.

The oncologist sums it up in a compassionate statement underscoring the fact that rhino horn contains no curative properties.

The whole sad story of killing the rhino for its horn is not only criminal, it is cruel, immoral and unforgivably, without any scientific basis.

Although Dr. Hooi comes from a generation whose medical knowledge was shaped by myths about the alleged magical powers of animal parts, he realizes that these notions have no place in modern medicine.

Rhinos pay the price of myths, greed, and corruption

Earlier this month, South Africa National Parks (SANParks) announced that more than 70 rhinos have already been slaughtered since the beginning of the year.

During the same time period, 64 people have been arrested in connection with rhino horn crimes.

Meanwhile, at least eleven alleged rhino horn syndicate members are expected in court on April 11^th, when the high-profile case involving game farmer Dawie Groenewald begins.

• See South African ‘Groenewald Gang’ Returns to Court in April for Killing Rhinos, Dealing in Rhino Horn

The eleven accused rhino horn syndicate members, including Groenewald, along with veterinarians Karel Toet and Manie du Plessis, will face charges of assault, fraud, corruption, malicious damage to property, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and contravention of the National Environmental Biodiversity Act.

Continued use of illegal rhino horn

The biggest threat to the survival of the world’s rhinos is the continued use of illegal rhino horn in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Despite scientific evidence that proves otherwise (see above!), millions of people still believe in the notion of rhino horn as a cure-all for a wide array of maladies, which has traditionally included fever and “devil possession”.

Rhino horn is even marketed by TCM practitioners in China and Vietnam (and on TCM websites) as a treatment for extremely serious illnesses, such as cancer.

Worryingly, this burgeoning market for rhino horn as a cancer treatment has prompted interest in selling rhino horn stockpiles or even legalizing rhino horn trade, as a way to profit from families of terminally ill patients.

Estimates for the price of illegal rhino horn range from USD $25,000 to $60,000 per kilogram.

How to help

You can help raise public awareness about the illegal trade in rhino horn by sharing the articles on this blog. You can also:

• Print and share posters and other materials from our website
• Share our videos
• Help support our work when you purchase a rhino t-shirt

Image #1: istockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

The year’s most popular rhino stories, all in one convenient location.

2010 marked a significant year for rhinos: The rhino killing crisis finally began to make headlines around the world. Here on our blog, we lifted the veil of “political correctness” that has shielded the illegal trade in rhino horn for far too long, and encouraged the public to tour the gruesome and greedy business of slaughtering rhinos for their horns.

Now, for the first time ever, here are the Top Ten Rhino Stories of the Year.

#10: Poison rhino horn

The controversial topic of injecting rhino horns with poison emerged when a man in South Africa finally became fed up with the country’s tragic rhino poaching situation. The idea was to poison the rhino horns – without harming the rhinos – so that when consumers use “medicines” derived of horns from illegally killed rhinos, they become sick or possibly die.

Read it here: Poisoning Rhino Horn to Thwart Poaching Syndicates in South Africa

#9: Javan rhino killed in Vietnam

In a devastating blow to wildlife conservation efforts, one of the world’s last critically endangered Javan rhinos was found shot, with the horn hacked out, in Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park. No more than four individuals of this rhino subspecies Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus are left on earth.

Read it here: One of World’s Last Javan Rhinos Murdered by Poachers in Vietnam

#8: China’s rhino farm revealed

After wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC found that China was buying an unusually large number of rhinos from Africa, we took a closer look. Our research revealed that China is already farming rhinos in order to use rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine. We believe that China is preparing for an attempt to have the ban on rhino horn trade lifted.

Read it here: Revealed: Location of China’s Rhino Farm and ‘Horn Harvesting’ Experiments

#7: Fletcher-Saaiman syndicate case

Although allegedly responsible for slaughtering at least 19 rhinos, including three calves, in order to profit from the illegal rhino horn trade, the rhino horn syndicate case involving George Fletcher, Gert Saaiman, and Frans Deventer was thrown out by Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa of the North Gauteng High Court. The judge pointed out that the State’s case was based on the testimony of a convicted criminal, and that the accused were “losing their social standing” because of delays.

Read it here: South African Rhino Horn Syndicate Case Involving Safari Operators Thrown Out

#6: South Africa’s rhino death toll surpasses 300

For the third year in a row, rhino killing in South Africa increased at an alarming rate. By early December, the number of rhinos slaughtered in South Africa reportedly reached 304, more than doubling last year’s body count of 122.

Read it here: South Africa’s Rhino Death Toll for 2010 Skyrockets to 304

#5: World Rhino Day

September 22^nd, 2010 was World Rhino Day. The WWF campaign called on all concerned citizens of the world to dust off their vuvuzelas, toot their horns, blow their didgeridoos and make as much noise as possible at 1:00 PM Central Africa Time (CAT), as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders that the time to take serious and effective action against rhino poaching is now.

Read it here: Join Together for World Rhino Day, September 22

#4: The ex-supermodel

Apparently oblivious to the fact that four of the five rhino species are teetering at the edge of extinction because of myths and superstitions about rhino horn, aging beauty Elle Macpherson said publicly that rhino horn tastes like “crushed bone and fungus” and it “does the job”. Macpherson later claimed she was just kidding about consuming rhino horn.

Read it here: ‘Powdered Rhino Horn’ in a Capsule? Celebrity Macpherson Reveals Shocking Ignorance

#3: The Vietnamese connection

Vietnam emerged as one of the major recipients of illegal rhino horn from Southern Africa. Not only is the demand for rhino horn as a curative widespread in urban areas of Vietnam, but rhino horn and special tools for grinding rhino horn are offered for sale in shops and online. It is believed that senior political figures in Vietnam are likely involved in the acquisition – and consumption – of rhino horn.

Read it here: Illegal Trade in Rhino Horn: The Vietnamese Connection

#2 TIE: Somak Safari Lodge

Conservationists became furious over the planned opening of a safari lodge in Kenya – a development that is likely to push critically endangered black rhinos closer to the edge of extinction. Unfortunately, commercial interests eventually prevailed over rhino conservation.

Read it here: Critically Endangered Black Rhino Habitat in Kenya Threatened by Somak Safari Lodge

#2 TIE: Rhino horn myths debunked

Myths and superstitions about rhino horn have made rhinos one of the most endangered animals on earth. But what else do we know about rhino horn – this magnificent protuberance that gives the rhino its unmistakably noble profile?

Read it here: Rhino Horn: Knowledge vs. Superstition

#1: The Groenewald gang

The world was shocked when several well-known people from South Africa’s rhino industry were arrested in connection with the killing of hundreds of the pachyderms and selling their horns to Asian markets. Two veterinarians, two safari operators, and a professional hunter were among nine people arrested during a police raid that spanned across Polokwane, Musina, and Modimolle. It was especially galling that the suspects were granted bail on World Rhino Day, and the case postponed until April 2011.

Read it here: South African Media Releases Names of Safari Operators, Trophy Hunter Arrested in Rhino Poaching Syndicate Bust

Also worth noting is that less than a month after the court appearance, 20 dehorned rhino carcasses were found in a mass grave on suspect Dawie Groenewald’s property: 20 Rhino Carcasses Found on Syndicate Suspect Groenewald’s Musina Property

Special mentions

Five additional stories were very close to making the Top Ten, and are worthy of mentioning here:

• Northern White Rhino Breeding Plan to Begin with ‘Hybrids’
• Taxidermists Warn of ‘Suspicious’ Buyers Seeking Rhino Horn Trophies
• India’s Rhino Poaching Gangs: A Closer Look
• Critically Endangered Black Rhino Brutally Slaughtered in Zimbabwe [Warning: Extremely Graphic Images]
• An Orphaned Baby Rhino Gone Too Soon: Vusi’s Story

Photo credit: Pam Krzyza

Criteria

The Top Ten list was compiled using a combination of the following:

• Web traffic – number of visits (overall and spikes)
• Social media activity (Facebook®, discussion forums, etc.)
• Additional media activity (news websites, traditional media, other blogs)

(In case you’re wondering: My personal Top Ten list would have included Are ‘Insiders’ Intentionally Fueling Demand for Illegal Rhino Horn? and Chinese News Reports Arrival of 12 Rhinos from South Africa, but they didn’t make the cut based on the above criteria.)

I would like to say thank you for taking time to read Rhino Horn is NOT Medicine , for visiting our website at savingrhinos.org, and joining us on Facebook®.

If you have any questions, please drop us a line at: info (at) savingrhinos (dot) org

Images #1, 3, 6 – istock.com; #2 – WWF Vietnam; #4 – Saving Rhinos LLC; #5 – compiled by author; #7 via SANParks; #8 courtesy of Pam Krzyza

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

World Rhino Day is September 22^nd – how will you show your support for these precious pachyderms?

UPDATE: Please see the WORLD RHINO DAY 2011 page for current information! This post refers to World Rhino Day 2010.

On September 22^nd, people all over the world will take a stand against rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn in recognition of “World Rhino Day”.

Rhinos are under siege, due to the demand for illegal rhino horn in traditional medicines – despite the fact that rhino horn has been scientifically tested and proven to have no medicinal value.

According to WWF, more than 600 rhinos have been gunned down since 2005, and the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC found that rhino horn from southern Africa is destined for consumer markets in China and Vietnam.

Make noise for rhinos!

World Rhino Day, a global campaign initiated by WWF, calls on all concerned citizens of the world to dust off their vuvuzelas, toot their horns, blow their didgeridoos and make as much noise as possible at 1:00 PM Central Africa Time (CAT), as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders that the time to take serious and effective action against rhino poaching is now.

Attend a virtual event presented by Africam

If you wish to attend a virtual event (perhaps due to time zone differences), Africam will present a tribute to the rhino beginning at 12:30 PM CAT, followed by the blowing of the vuvuzela at 1:00 PM CAT.

Use the World Time Clock converter to see what time to tune in.

The event will be shown on the Nkorho Cam on Africam – check out the details here.

Social networking on World Rhino Day

Celebrate World Rhino Day on Facebook® by joining these pages and events:

• Saving Rhinos – lots of profile pics for World Rhino Day!
• Friends of the Rhino
• World Rhino Day
• Watch “Rhino Day” LIVE
• Support World Rhino Day

Spread the word, invite your friends and show your support for rhinos on World Rhino Day!

Image: Saving Rhinos LLC

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Attend the World Rhino Day event online this Wednesday, September 22 ^nd.

On Wednesday, September 22^nd, the world will join together in a show of solidarity with South Africa’s embattled rhinos. These proud pachyderms are currently suffering the worst assault in 16 years because of a surge in the illegal trade in rhino horn.

Rhinos slaughtered for traditional medicines

Since 2005, more than 600 rhinos have been slaughtered so their horns can be used in traditional medicines. However, extensive scientific analysis has proven that rhino horn has no medicinal value.

The wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC found that most rhino horns leaving southern Africa are destined for consumer markets in China and Vietnam.

And on September 22^nd, the world will take a stand against rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn.

World Rhino Day

World Rhino Day, a global campaign initiated by WWF, calls on all concerned citizens of the world to dust off their vuvuzelas, toot their horns, blow their didgeridoos and make as much noise as possible at 1:00 PM Central Africa Time (CAT), as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders that the time to take serious and effective action against rhino poaching is now.

If you wish to attend a virtual event (perhaps due to time zone differences), Africam will present a tribute to the rhino beginning at 12:30 PM CAT, followed by the blowing of the vuvuzela at 1:00 PM CAT.

The event will be shown on the Nkorho Cam on Africam – check out the details here.

Find your local time for World Rhino Day

The World Time Clock website has a handy tool called the “Time Zone Converter“, which you can use to determine when to tune in to World Rhino Day.

For example, I am in the Pacific Standard Time (PST) zone, where the Africam event begins at 3:30 AM.

See you there!

Image #1 via Africam; image #2 via World Time Clock

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Will you stand in solidarity with the world’s rhinos?

We are standing in solidarity with rhinos.

Please join us:

• Saving Rhinos on Facebook®
• Friends of the Rhino on Facebook®

We will not lower our voices until the world hears the truth: Rhino horn is NOT medicine.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Listen to a one-hour discussion of the illegal rhino horn trade on The WildLife with Laurel Neme.

Recently, I had the exciting opportunity to be a guest on “The WildLife”, a radio talk show hosted by Dr. Laurel Neme. We discussed the illegal trade in rhino horn and the fact that because rhino horn has no real medicinal properties, this multimillion dollar illegal trade is built on a myth.

To listen to the podcast, click the green arrow below:

The radio spot was a chance to bring attention to Saving Rhinos’ efforts to bust the myths about rhino horn – which in turn would eliminate the market for rhino horn. I also stressed the importance of treating the illegal rhino horn trade as an organized crime issue, and shared my position on burning stockpiles of confiscated rhino horn as a statement to show the world that rhinos are more valuable alive than dead.

Dr. Laurel Neme is the author of Animal Investigators: How the World’s First Wildlife Forensics Lab is Solving Crimes and Saving Endangered Species. I enthusiastically recommend her book – check out the review here.

Learn more about Dr. Neme at CSI for Wildlife.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Thanks to the rampant illegal slaughter of rhinos for their horns, rhinos have the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most endangered animals on earth.

Over the last 40 years, the world’s overall rhinoceros population has declined by over 90% – and if not for dedicated conservation efforts over the last 100 years, it is likely that all rhinoceros species would already be extinct.

To help raise awareness for these proud pachyderms, here are 11 incredible facts about rhinos – plus a compilation of beautiful photos (with a couple of videos, too). Enjoy!

Rhino fact 1: There are two species of African rhino – the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) and the black rhino (Diceros bicornis). There are three species of Asian rhino – the greater one-horned (Indian) rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), and the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus).

Pictured: Black rhino Next page >>

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

All hope for saving the Northern white rhinos from extinction is resting squarely on the shoulders of the ‘Fab Four’ – Sudan, Suni, Najin, and Fatu.

Now that the Northern white rhinos have settled into their new home at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy, experts hope they are in the mood for love – with Southern white rhinos.

The initial plans are to produce “hybrid” calves from breeding the Northern white rhinos with the Southern white rhinos.

Once sufficient numbers are reached, cross-breeding the hybrid rhinos back with the Northern white rhinos will take place.

Richard Vigne, CEO of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, has made it clear that they will be breeding hybrids for a while before sufficient numbers will then permit to cross them back towards nearly pure Northern White.

The four … are thought to be the last hope to ever restore a Northern White population, as the last herd in the wild was wiped out by Ugandan rebels in Eastern Congo, where an incompetent and arrogant minister some years ago halted the translocation from the Garamba National Park to Ol Pejeta at the last moment, condemning these rarest of rhinos to almost certain extinction.

The extraordinarily rare rhinos have been released from their bomas into the expansive – and well-guarded – area they are sharing with Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s Southern white rhinos.

Experts are confident that exposure to the wild Southern white rhinos will stimulate normal breeding behavior in the Northern white rhinos.

Top priority: Preserving Northern white rhino genes

Although a recent taxonomic reassessment indicates the Northern white rhino is actually a distinct species from the Southern white rhino, this finding has not appeared to have altered breeding plans. It is traditionally believed that the Northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) and Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) are each a white rhino subspecies.

Whether or not the Northern white rhino is classified as a subspecies or distinct species, preserving the Northern white rhino genetic material in any way possible remains the top priority for rhino conservation experts.

Source: eTurboNews

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

New information suggests that the Northern white rhino is a distinct species, not a subspecies.

An exciting new study has re-assessed the taxonomy of the Northern white rhino and the Southern white rhino – and found they are actually two distinct species.

Ceratotherium simum and Ceratotherium cottoni

Although the Northern white rhino is currently considered a subspecies of the white rhino, the latest research indicates otherwise.

In a groundbreaking new report The Sixth Rhino: A Taxonomic Re-Assessment of the Critically Endangered Northern White Rhinoceros, researchers Colin P. Groves, Prithiviraj Fernando, and Jan Robovsky found the Northern white rhino to be a genetically distinct species from the Southern white rhino.

On re-assessing the taxonomy of the two forms we find them to be morphologically and genetically distinct, warranting the recognition of the taxa formerly designated as subspecies; Ceratotherium simum simum the southern form and Ceratotherium simum cottoni the northern form, as two distinct species Ceratotherium simum and Ceratotherium cottoni respectively. The recognition of the northern form as a distinct species has profound implications for its conservation.

And world-renowned rhinoceros expert Dr. Kees Rookmaaker noted in the Rhino Resource Center Newsletter:

Hence there are now six species of rhinoceros, the new one known scientifically as Ceratotherium cottoni. This paper clearly shows the importance of taxonomy for policy in conservation.

Dr. Rookmaaker also said via the newsletter that it might even be time to re-name the two species. The Northern white rhino has historically been called “Cotton’s rhino” and the Southern white rhino “Burchell’s rhino”.

Distinguishing differences

In addition to the two rhino species being genetically distinct, the authors found distinguishing differences in the teeth and skulls.

… the two differ absolutely in numerous respects: the skull is readily distinguished, the dentition is somewhat different, they can be differentiated externally apparently without error, there is evidently a fixed difference in a serum enzyme and they are clearly distinguishable genetically in analysis of both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Under the Phylogenetic Species Concept (the only objective concept applicable to allopatric forms), we have no option but to consider them specifically distinct.

There is also separation time of over a million years between the Northern white rhino and the Southern white rhino.

Genetic analysis clearly indicates a separation time of over a million years between the two taxa, justifying their recognition as separate species: Ceratotherium simum (Burchell, 1821) and Ceratotherium cottoni (Lydekker, 1908).

The Northern and Southern white rhinos were found to exhibit similar behavior, but a few identifiable physical traits were noted.

• Northern white rhinos are smaller than Southern white rhinos
• Northern white rhinos have fewer “wrinkles” around the eye than Southern white rhinos
• Northern white rhinos have a straighter dorsal profile than Southern white rhinos

The authors conclude their report with a most appropriate thought:

In an age where billions of dollars are poured into saving companies going bankrupt and trillions into wars of arguable provenance, can we not spare a fraction of that to save a unique and charismatic megavertebrate and begin to address our disastrous impact on planet earth?

Illegal killing for rhino horn has reduced the world’s Northern white rhino population to just eight individuals. In December 2009, four of these precious rhinos were famously relocated from a Czech Zoo to Kenya in hopes of stimulating breeding activity and saving the species from extinction.

Learn more about Ceratotherium cottoni

Today’s post is a snapshot of the full report. You can learn more about “The Sixth Rhino” by downloading The Sixth Rhino: A Taxonomic Re-Assessment of the Critically Endangered Northern White Rhinoceros from the Rhino Resource Center.

Photo: Fauna Flora International

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. Besides writing Rhino Horn is Not Medicine, I am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, the Editor of Project Pangolin, and a writer for the environmental news blog Planetsave. When I'm not blogging about the illegal wildlife trade, I like to rock out to live music.

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See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.