South Africa counts carcasses as rhino poaching surges

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Wed Aug 12, 2015, 08:40 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Poachers have killed record numbers of rhinos in South Africa in recent years, but some conservationists believe the toll could be higher than the official figures.

Allison Thomson, founder of a group called Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching, said there are cases not included in the official statistics. For example, lions or other predators probably kill some vulnerable rhino calves whose mothers are poached, Thomson said.

South Africa's environment ministry, which reported 1,215 rhino poachings last year, said Wednesday that aerial surveillance and other "concerted efforts" are made to detect carcasses of rhinos killed by poachers. Home to most of the world's rhinos, South Africa has struggled to contain poaching syndicates because of rising demand for their horns in parts of Asia, including Vietnam.

The count includes poached rhinos "irrespective of the age of the animal or whether the horns have been removed or are still intact," the ministry said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.

FULL story at link.



FILE - In this file photo takentaken Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 a darted rhino is blind-folded before being grounded for skin and blood samples to be taken, and microchipped, near Skukuza, South Africa, before being transported by truck to an area hopefully safe from poachers in a bid to cut down on the numbers killed by poachers. Some conservationists believe that the reported numbers of rhinos killed could be much higher than recorded. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell, File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ff3bfbf4dac442368855c5a7a117ab7a/south-africa-counts-carcasses-rhino-poaching-surges

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August 12, 2015
Honor Elephants Today and Every Day

Dear Steven,

Today is World Elephant Day, celebrated globally to honor with compassion those magnificent symbols of both Africa and Asia who bring so much joy by their mere existence. Born Free USA works with indefatigable determination every day to protect elephants from the scourge of the ivory trade and the misery of captivity.

I'm very proud to announce that, today, we have released a new, short elephant video and a website, "What Elephants Like," to recognize that elephants belong in the wild—not in zoos, not in circuses. Please take 30 seconds to watch the video in honor of this special day.

If you then find yourself inspired, as I know you will, take another 30 seconds to forward that clip to everyone you know and post on all of your social media pages. We want to make sure as many people as possible see that zoos and circuses are no places for elephants.

To see all that we're doing for elephant protection, check out our website; read our ivory reports, Ivory's Curse: The Militarization and Professionalization of Poaching in Africa and Out of Africa: Mapping the Global Trade in Illicit Elephant Ivory; and learn more about the ivory trade at www.bloodyivory.org.

For the animals,

Adam M. Roberts, Chief Executive Officer

P.S. Here are some social media "share lines" you can use to share our elephant video with family and friends:

#Elephants in entertainment: unnecessary & unnatural! This video by @BornFreeUSA says it all! #WorldElephantDay

Retweet this if you believe that wild #elephants are NOT entertainment: #WorldElephantDay @BornFreeUSA

WATCH: This is NOT how #elephants should spend #WorldElephantDay! @BornFreeUSA

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

[d_legendary1]

1. (SIGH)

One day future generations will ask us what these big animals were and why they aren't around. And we'll have to tell them that they were killed because people think its a cure for hangovers, fevers, and erectile dysfunction.


http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/why-does-a-rhino-horn-cost-300-000-because-vietnam-thinks-it-cures-cancer-and-hangovers/275881/


Thanks Vietnam!

[ladjf]

2. Please use Viagra for your erection dysfunction rather than slaying

thousands of rhinos. And use plastic for your dagger handles. Is that too much to ask?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. Many "uses", not all involving sex ...

... though most or all involve ignorance, folklore, and magic.

https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/thorny_issues/tackling_the_demand_for_rhino_horn

[ladjf]

5. I hit the highlights of the main unnecessary uses.

But any of the other "uses" would be just as pointless. We have drugs that actually cure many of the ailments that it is claimed that rhino horn cures.

But, if you have a more complete list of what they are using rhino horn for, please list it here on DU so that we could see how many of these uses could easily be replaced by something less destructive to wildlife.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. I'd guess any so-called "use" of ground rhino horn could be replaced ...

... by ground toenails.

Easily as safe and effective.

One of the uses was to limit the ill effects of chemotherapy. So, first, this is not an ancient remedy application, and second, it could be replaced by some good weed.

[ladjf]

9. Correct.

"Matted/compressed hair Additional Information: The Rhino horns are made up of a fibrous protein material called "keratin". It is a non-mineralized material found on many living mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians. The "keratin" that makes up the Rhino horn, is the same material that makes up claws, hooves, nails, and hair. The harder form is usually found in the reptiles, claws, shells, scales, and the birds, beaks, claws, and even feathers."

In other words, an entire species is being wiped out for a very common organic substance.

[restorefreedom]

3. it is so sad

to have to ackowledge that my own species has been such a scourge to the planet and its other inhabitants.

[ladjf]

6. Very sad indeed. The problem stems from the fact that humans

grossly overrate their own intelligence and importance. They feel entitled to pillage any and all resources regardless of the collateral damage.

Did you happen to see the photo of a baby rhino who's mother has just been shot? The baby rhino actually mistook a jeep truck for his mother. He was taken to a game preserve. But, that won't bring back his mother. That photo was here on DU. "Baby rhino bonds with truck".

[restorefreedom]

7. agreed. i always meant to do an op

about how many religions (though not all) elevate humankind and seem to set up this kind of attitude of abuse. then again, many who pillage and destroy are just greedy assholes who have no faith based or secular moral compass.

sigh.

[shenmue]

10. Noooooooooo