Warning signs: Disturbing developments in Namibia could be edging the country’s rhino population closer to danger.
Browsing the archives for the Public Awareness tag
Warning signs: Disturbing developments in Namibia could be edging the country’s rhino population closer to danger.
Why does the demand for rhino horn persist? After all, rhino horn has no proven medicinal value. However, China (using rhinos imported from South Africa) is engaged in a profit-seeking scheme that depends on sick people using rhino horn instead of taking medicine.
Although it has been widely thought that the rumor of rhino horn’s alleged “cancer-curing” power started in Vietnam, we now strongly suspect that this rumor originated with (or was propagated by) China’s Longhui Pharmaceutical “rhino horn harvesting” project.
The WWF has confirmed South Africa’s rhino death toll for 2011 reached a record-breaking 448.
Despite the highly publicized abuse of trophy hunt loopholes in South Africa, Namibia has reportedly granted a permit to a Vietnamese national to kill a rhino.
Customs officers in Hong Kong have reportedly intercepted a shipment containing 33 rhino horns, 758 ivory chopsticks, and 123 ivory bracelets. The illicit cargo arrived from Cape Town, South Africa.
The world’s leading conservation and environmental organizations – among others – are speaking out against the use of rhino horn as a medical treatment. Check out this list of quotes with source links and a few videos.
This informative 30-page slideshow presentation points out that the solutions to the rhino crisis can be found in increased protection in all implicated states through international and national legislation, improved enforcement, stiffer penalties, and demand reduction – not legalized trade.
There is an encouraging update regarding the 17 people arrested last month in Nepal: This gang is reportedly the “first complete chain” of rhino horn smugglers and traders to be taken into custody at once.
It is barely a week since the extinction of the Javan rhino subspecies (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) was confirmed, and already there is troubling news about the remaining Javan rhinos.