What were the most popular rhino stories of 2011? Find out here.

For the second year in a row, we’ve compiled the Top Ten Rhino Stories of the year. And while many of the stories are unpleasant, all of them must be told.

In 2011, mainstream media took more notice of the rhino crisis, but there is still much work to be done to thwart the “perfect storm” of myths, greed, and corruption.

Starting with #10 and counting down to #1, here are the Top Ten Rhino Stories of 2011:

#10. Rhino killings in South Africa linked to antique rhino horn market

The buzz about “rhinoceros horn cups” in 2011 finally put the connection between antique rhino horn and rhino killings in the spotlight, and our closer look at yet another trade loophole became a popular topic.

Read it: Disturbing Connection Between Antique Rhino Horn Activity and Rhino Killings in South Africa

#9. Zimbabwe rhino conservationist wins Goldman Prize

Zimbabwe rhino conservationist Raoul du Toit was awarded the prestigious Goldman Prize for his work in initiatives that have helped to develop and maintain Zimbabwe’s largest remaining black rhino populations.

Read it: Prestigious Environmental Prize Awarded to Zimbabwe Rhino Conservationist

#8: A positive step from the Chinese medicine community

The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) in the UK issued a statement condemning the use of rhino horn in Chinese medicine.

Read it: Chinese Medicine Organization Speaks Out Against Use of Rhino Horn

#7: South African game farmer laundering rhino horn with Thai “prostitutes”

Safari operator/game farmer Marnus Steyl was named by South African media in the rhino horn trading racket involving Thai national Chumlong Lemtongthai. (Steyl was unsurprisingly granted bail.)

Read it: South African Hunting Safari Operator Linked to Illegal Rhino Horn Trade and Thai Strippers

#6: Revisit the shocking events that exposed the world’s most famous (alleged) rhino horn syndicate to the world

In preparation for the “Groenewald gang” April 2011 court date, we compiled a list of the scandalous revelations that made headlines around the world. (The next court appearance is slated for April 2012.)

Read it: Court Date Approaches for South African ‘Groenewald Gang’ Rhino Horn Syndicate Suspects

#5: Antique rhinoceros horn cups create media frenzy

The “record-breaking” appraisal of Chinese antique rhinoceros horn cups created a big media hubbub.

Read it: Fuss Over Antique Rhinoceros Horn Cups Fails to Mention Loss of Life

#4: Scientific studies conclude rhino horn is worthless as a remedy

We re-introduced three scientific studies confirming that rhino horn has no medicinal value.

Read it: Busting the Rhino Horn Medicine Myth with Science

#3: China pumping millions of dollars into encouraging the use of rhino horn

Nearly a year after we began raising questions about the connections between China’s traditional medicine industry investments, research proposals about rhino horn harvesting, and live rhino imports, our suspicions were confirmed.

Read it: Suspicions Confirmed: China Investing Millions in Rhino Horn Scheme

#2: World Rhino Day 2011

From Australia to Zimbabwe, the message was loud and clear: Rhino horn is NOT medicine!

Visit the World Rhino Day 2011 page here.

#1: Vietnamese Javan rhino declared extinct

The world’s last Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus was murdered for her small horn.

Vietnam’s tiny rhino population struggled against several formidable obstacles, including the traditional medicine trade, questionable government funding decisions, and habitat loss.

If only the recommended conservation programs had been implemented and supported by the relevant authorities within Vietnam, the impact of these obstacles could have been lessened.

Read it: Gone Forever: Javan Rhino Declared Extinct in Vietnam

Special mentions

Four additional stories which were close to the Top Ten and worthy of mentioning here:

• Extinction of Western Black Rhino Confirmed
• Critically Endangered Black, Sumatran Rhino Horns Confiscated in China; Four Arrested
• Rhino Horns Seized in Hong Kong; Shipment Arrived from South Africa
• Concern Grows Around Role of South Africa’s Rhino Horn Suppliers

Criteria

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

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

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

Check out last year’s “Top Ten Rhino Stories of 2010“.

All images © Saving Rhinos LLC, except photo: © Michelle Gadd/Goldman Environmental Prize

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

IRF is leading a new campaign to help put rhino horn traffickers and rhino killers in jail.

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is standing up to the rhino crisis in Southern Africa through the Operation: Stop Poaching Now initiative.

US-based International Rhino Foundation (IRF) has partnered with security experts in South Africa to increase conviction rates for rhino crimes and improve anti-poaching operations in eleven highly threatened rhino habitats in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Funds donated in support of the campaign will go toward providing rangers with training in investigative techniques, intelligence gathering, evidence collection, communications, and rhino identification and monitoring.

Rangers will also receive crime scene kits containing a camera, metal detector, GPS, finger-printing materials, and sealable evidence bags.

Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of IRF, notes that the conviction rate for rhino crimes is appallingly low.

Authorities estimate that fewer than five percent of rhino poachers are convicted – they are literally getting away with murder.

But there are thousands of dedicated, passionate rangers in South Africa, Zimbabwe and other range countries trying to stand in between the rhinos and the poachers.

Find out how you can help fight rhino crimes in South Africa and Zimbabwe at Operation: Stop Poaching Now.

Source: International Rhino Foundation

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

All in for Rhinos: World Rhino Day 2011 Highlights

World Rhino Day was September 22^nd – and from Australia to Zimbabwe, the message was loud and clear: Rhino horn is NOT medicine!

“All in for Rhinos” features both offline and online activities and events that were held on World Rhino Day.

Enjoy the video!

Thank you for providing content/photos for this very unique production and/or otherwise participating in World Rhino Day:

• Chishakwe Ranch, Zimbabwe
• Save the Rhino International, UK
• Rhino Africa Safaris, South Africa
• Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal
• Asian Rhino Project, Australia
• Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, USA
• TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Malaysia
• Education for Nature-Vietnam
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
• International Rhino Foundation, USA
• human.kind Advertising Agency, South Africa

Find out more at World Rhino Day FAQs.

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Four of the five rhino species all on one calendar!

The beautiful 2012 rhino calendar produced by International Rhino Keeper Association (IRKA) and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is now ready to order.

Photos were submitted by rhino enthusiasts from around the world, and the winning twelve were selected by vote. In all, 77 participants submitted a total of 271 photos, and 4,090 votes were cast.

The calendars are being sold for US $26 each. Funds will be used to help purchase supplies for rhino protection units in Zimbabwe and South Africa:

• Digital cameras
• Tamper proof evidence bags
• PDAs
• Metal detectors
• Shoes
• GPS
• Binoculars

These supplies will help increase effective protection of rhino populations, help ensure successful prosecutions of wildlife crimes, and contribute to collection of crime evidence when rhinos are killed, specifically in selected areas of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

To purchase your calendar, please see the IRKA/IRF Calendar Fundraiser page on the IRKA website here.

Image via International Rhino Keeper Association at rhinokeeperassociation.org

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Children in Zimbabwe are making World Rhino Day preparations!

Thanks to efforts by Chishakwe Ranch in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe, children in the neighboring villages are learning about rhinos and creating posters for World Rhino Day.

World Rhino Day 2011 co-organizer Lisa-Jane Campbell of Chishakwe Ranch explains the importance of involving local communities in conservation efforts.

It has long been acknowledged that educating people living near game parks about the importance and value of wildlife and habitat is key to conservation efforts all over the world. Once local people feel that wildlife resources are part of their heritage, and as such benefit them, they are much more inclined to join in efforts to protect them; rather than being part of the problem when it comes to poaching. This is particularly the case in key species such as Rhino.

Chishakwe has been actively involved in creating a culture of conservation in neighboring village areas for a number of years, and works in two primary schools: Muvava and Uteke.

The education outreach project has been named Mangwana which means “Tomorrow” in Shona, reflecting the project’s forward-looking nature.

Between the two schools, the Mangwana project contributes to the education of approximately 1,000 children between the ages of six and 13.

World Rhino Day posters

In preparation for World Rhino Day, the students at Muvava and Uteke schools are creating posters using materials supplied by Chishakwe.

Some of their beautiful artwork is already on display on the World Rhino Day 2011 page (on Facebook®).

Education and awareness

The Mangwana project uses education and information to decrease poaching and animal deaths caused by persecution of certain species due to superstitions, as well as to improve standards of education and facilities at the schools.

Annual projects have been run and the children who are awarded best project win a day on safari at Chishakwe. This has proved to be immensely popular as a prize, and we are planning to extend the concept into three day bush camps to be held at Chishakwe.

In addition to World Rhino Day, a recent development is the involvement of more affluent high schools in Zimbabwe (and elsewhere in the world) with Muvava and Uteke. An exchange of ideas and sharing of materials will be facilitated online.

School projects have been ongoing and diverse.

Two years ago, we addressed the lack of chairs by co-operating with the community to make them and then creating a project where the children painted their own chair with an animal, its name and a few basic facts.

This year, the Chishakwe project was on the habitat created by a termite mound. The emphasis was on the extended life cycle of a termite mound and the fact that numerous animals could use the mound as a food source and a source of shelter – even after the termites had left. The children were able learn about a number of smaller species that occur around their village homes.

The termite mound projects made by the children are currently on display in the small museum at Chishakwe.

Collaborations

Chishakwe has joined forces with the Lowveld Rhino Trust and African Wildlife Conservation Trust to include their specific materials in workshop sessions with teachers and to develop elements of the project for export to further schools around the Lowveld wildlife areas.

One of the tactics being used to protect rhino from persecution has been to educate local populations about rhino as a species. Chishakwe supports Lowveld Rhino Trust locally in this, as well as providing infrastructure and support to the trust’s ongoing anti-poaching personnel and efforts.

Chishakwe has housed the African Wildlife Conservation Trust since its inception as the Lowveld Wild Dog Project in 1996. Chishakwe now works with the trust to develop education resources for use in school communities in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe.

Beyond co-organizing World Rhino Day 2011, Chishakwe and Saving Rhinos LLC (that’s me) are making plans for educational and awareness-raising projects that will have both online and on-the-ground components.

Check out World Rhino Day FAQs to find out how you can join the celebration and be sure to “Like” the World Rhino Day 2011 page on Facebook®.

All photos courtesy & © Lisa-Jane Campbell, Chishakwe Ranch, Zimbabwe

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Here’s to a job well done!

Two sting operations have reportedly netted ten rhino horn and ivory dealers who were caught trying to sell their illicit goods to Chinese people at Harare’s upscale shopping center, Sam Levy’s Village.

The arrests were made in a joint effort of Zimbabwe Parks, and the Police Minerals and Border Control Unit.

At least three of the suspects are former soldiers.

According to allAfrica.com, suspects Godfrey Nyambuya, Nelson Abraham, Charles Muzenda, Brighton Kucherana, Peter Makaye Murira, David Marahwu were arrested with two rhino horns. The others – Rodgers Aluberto, Thomas and Tongai Saburinyu, and Chriswell Mukwenya – were in possession of four elephant tusks.

Authorities also confiscated a CZ pistol with one round of ammunition from Charles Muzenda.

Learn the facts about rhino horn at Busting the Rhino Horn Medicine Myth with Science.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Want to help rhinos and other wildlife in Zimbabwe?

Conservationists in Zimbabwe are fighting a hard battle on the ground with rhino horn syndicates who are well-equipped, very informed, and heavily funded through their lucrative illegal business.

Fortunately, there is a way you can help Zimbabwe’s conservation efforts.

Hands-on conservation project

The Chishakwe Volunteer Programme, a conservation project located in the vast and remote Save Valley Conservancy in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe, offers the opportunity to work with rhino scouts, as well as participate in other wildlife research and monitoring projects.

The activities can be quite varied. Volunteers may be doing data entry, filing camera trap photos, ground crewing on rhino ops, darting a dog, sitting in a blind at night, or using telemetry to track lion.

Chishakwe also runs a community outreach program, with an emphasis on environmental education. Community outreach volunteers could be painting a mural, designing materials, collecting and labeling specimens for the camp’s little museum or even presenting a session on a particular species.

Accommodation and meals are provided in a fully serviced, comfortable ranch style house set in a garden. There is a recreation area with a swimming pool for leisure time.

Learn more

For more information about the Chishwakwe Volunteer Programme, visit their contact page and check out the following:

• Chishakwe Volunteer Programme
• Chishakwe Facebook® page

Photos used with permission and information provided by LJ Campbell, Chishakwe, Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe. Photo #1 © iStockphoto.com

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Show off your gorgeous rhino photos for a great cause!

The International Rhino Keeper Association (IRKA) and International Rhino Foundation (IRF) are holding a rhino photo contest to help raise funds to protect rhinos in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Winning photos will be featured in the IRKA/IRF 2012 Rhino Calendar!

The calendars will be sold for US $26 each. Funds will be used to help purchase supplies for rhino protection units in Zimbabwe and South Africa:

• Digital cameras
• Tamper proof evidence bags
• PDAs
• Metal detectors
• Shoes
• GPS
• Binoculars

These supplies will help increase effective protection of rhino populations, help ensure successful prosecutions of wildlife crimes, and contribute to collection of crime evidence when rhinos are killed, specifically in selected areas of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Photo submission deadline and voting

The deadline for photo submissions is July 31^st, 2011. Photos will be posted on the IRKA website by August 8^th, and the top 12 winning photos will be decided by voting through August 29^th, 2011.

Please visit the International Rhino Keeper Association for questions and complete contest guidelines, and to fill out an entry form. Contact irkacalendar (at) gmail (dot) com for further information about the rhino calendar contest.

About IRKA

The International Rhino Keeper Association (IRKA) is dedicated to the sharing of knowledge in relation to the five species of rhinoceros. Information experienced through captive management and through study in the field are both valued as critical to the rhinoceros survival. Connect with IRKA on Facebook®

About IRF

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is dedicated to the survival of the world’s rhino species through conservation and research. IRF provides the technical (scientific, educational, administrative) and financial resources necessary to facilitate the conservation of rhinos. Connect with IRF on Facebook®.

Information/logo permissions provided by Sara Wunder, Busch Gardens, Tampa/IRKA Scholarship Chair; Dr. Susie Ellis, IRF

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle

As the demand for illegal rhino horn continues to grow, so does the list of victims.

Among these victims are baby rhinos who are not only orphaned, but have witnessed the brutal murders and mutilations of their mothers.

Here are just a few of the atrocities which left baby rhinos behind – atrocities committed because of medicinal myths about rhino horn:

• June 20^th, 2011: A four-month-old calf was orphaned when a female white rhino was killed on a private game farm in Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province.
• June 5^th, 2011: Swaziland’s first rhino poaching tragedy in nearly 20 years left a young calf behind.
• December 29^th, 2010: A six-month-old calf was orphaned in North West Province.
• December 13^th, 2010: The bodies of three male rhinos were found in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and a female in the Emakhosini-Ophathe Heritage Park. A young calf was left behind by the killing of the mother rhino.

During the first week of December 2010, two female rhinos – mother and daughter – were brutally murdered in the Botsalano Game Reserve near the Botswana border.

The mother rhino’s younger calf was left alone. Read An Orphaned Baby Rhino Gone Too Soon: Vusi’s Story.

In the fall of 2010, a young calf was orphaned in Nepal when her mother was electrocuted by a fence that had been illegally set by a farmer.

Unspeakable crimes

Sometimes, the baby rhinos are murdered, too.

• May 2 ^nd, 2011: A mother rhino and her four-month-old calf were slaughtered for their horns in Limpopo Province.
• April 20^th, 2011: Three rhinos, including one calf, were murdered in Kruger National Park, South Africa.

At the beginning of 2008, a greater one-horned rhino and her calf were both killed in Kaziranga National Park, India.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Who among us can forget the dark day in Zimbabwe, at Imire Safari Ranch on November 7^th, 2007 when three black rhinos and an unborn calf were brutally slain – leaving a baby black rhino orphaned and traumatized?

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES.

Note about the video: It has since been determined that the market for illegal rhino horn is driven by demand in China and Vietnam, not Yemen.

The ‘moral chasm’

How can we reconcile the moral chasm that lies between a 5,000-pound rhino carcass and a few pounds of harvested horn? It’s difficult not to feel that all of humanity has let these animals down by failing to protect them from our species’ worst impulses. – Jeff Corwin, from his book 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species.

How can we, indeed?

Photo and image credits: #1 & 5 © iStockphoto.com; #2 courtesy and © Pam Krzyza; #3 courtesy and © Suman Bhattarai (PARC/Nepal); #4 © Saving Rhinos LLC

Rhishja Cota-Larson

I am the founder of Saving Rhinos LLC, which publishes news and information about the global rhino crisis. I am the Editor of Rhino Horn is Not Medicine and Project Pangolin, author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine, 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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.

A Zimbabwe court strikes back.

Two Mozambican nationals have reportedly received 13-year prison terms for killing rhinos in Zimbabwe’s Chipangayi Game Park. The pair was convicted on three counts of illegally killing rhinos after appearing before magistrate Oliver Mudzongachiso.

According to The Zimbabwean, they entered Zimbabwe illegally and were in possession of an AK-47 assault rifle.

The state led by prosecutor Tafirei Tandira heard that the two illegally entered into the country using unlawful entry points and went to Chipangayi Game Park and hunted rhinoceros without permits.

The court was told that they were in possession of dangerous weapons such as AK-47 assault rifle, an automatic gun with 57 live rounds and a flick knife.

Read the entire article at Two jailed for rhino poaching.

Rhino killing spree throughout Southern Africa

At the root of Southern Africa’s rhino killing spree is the continued use of illegal rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine, which is still sought after in both China and Vietnam.

However, rhino horn has been rigorously analyzed and actually contains no medical properties whatsoever. (Read the entire article at Busting the Rhino Horn Myth with Science.)

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.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.