'Let us all pull in the same direction to save the rhino'

It is great to see big names throwing their weight in with rhino conservation - Woolworths has partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and pledged funds from the sale of limited edition reusable bags to help combat rhino poaching. Total, Toyota and Jacaranda 94.2 has also put their money where it matters in supporting anti-rhino poaching campaigns with fund raising and large fundings – we can also make a difference, no matter how small!

The media is still filled with rhino news; some statistical sad stories of more poaching and others more inspiring and hopeful. The overall rhino awareness in Southern Africa has multiplied immensely over the last six months, not for the right reasons unfortunately, but hopefully from all this will come a little good.

As Ian Michler states in his article ‘Rhino Rage’ – “opinion is broadly divided along pro- or anti-use lines” and as history prevails, this will always be the case in all aspects of life. Unfortunately we cannot debate over this too long for the war has started and we need to put politics aside for our rhino’s sake.

It is true that rhino farmer’s approach is more agricultural than others, and yes it needs to be profitable – other than government institutions and game parks/lodges earning revenue on other levels, agricultural farming (regardless of your chosen agricultural field) is a business and needs to be self-sustainable. Nobody frowns upon game farmers breeding Springbuck, Buffalo, Sable, Roan etc as a profitable industry nor when they have game abattoirs or hunters come in and cull the numbers, KILLING the animals?

We all need to take one step back and look at the bigger picture as a whole and see that farmers can breed rhino, and as proven successful before, rehabilitate and release live rhino back into parks and increase roaming wild rhino for our grandchildren to admire, but at the same time increase the global numbers and supply a demand of rhino horn by means of horn farming from live animals without killing the rhino!

And if the sale of every horn in stock pile - already removed from a rhino, whether by means of de-horning a live rhino as an anti-poaching measure or from an animal that died - can prevent one rhino being killed for their horn, then burning such stock piles will not benefit the rhino in any way! Rather flood the market with these already ‘dead’ horn and see if it does bring the poaching numbers down, what do we have to lose? The horn is already there and we are in desperate times to get a solution for the devastating situation we are in.

Let us all stand together and pull in the same direction to save the rhino, instead of pointing fingers and questioning each others motives and drives.

“Man gets 13 govt buffaloes, on loan” – news24, 2011-02-03

Bloemfontein – ‘A black Free State game farmer has received 13 buffaloes from the provincial department of environmental affairs to kick-start his game ranching business’, a departmental spokesperson said on Thursday. (Article link right)

Can the government not take the same approach with the rhino…which, unlike the buffalo, is an endangered species and in dire need of conservation? Rhino farming can uplift and empower black farmers in the same way or even better than buffalo farming. Our government has the ability to empower the upcoming black farmer by making this industry financially feasible and creating an incentive to the emerging black farmer. If this can be done more and more farmers would be interested in the rhino trade which will in turn promote conservation projects and development of new black farmers. This will begin a mutually beneficial industry of financial gain and independence to the farmer and conservation of the rhino. We commend the efforts made by our government to make previously disadvantaged people part and parcel of the game farming industry and we suggest that rhino farming be promoted to the forefronts of this drive. This can however only materialize if government also give the currently disadvantaged rhino a commercially viable and environmentally sustainable chance to stay a part of the game farming industry. If they don’t, rhino will very soon become a statistical part of our very sad history.

Cultural customs vs Conservation...

Every culture has a certain set of beliefs that reflect its history and the way people in this culture view the world.
These beliefs can be either rational or irrational. Most of these irrational beliefs, cannot be explained or proved scientifically, but has been followed by groups for centuries.

Of course, if people want to believe in prayer, acupuncture, gestures, witchcraft, voodoo or consumption as a cure for what ails them, as a good luck charm or just for prosperity and general well being - there is no reason why they shouldn’t, but if animals are being killed to provide nostrums that have been shown to be useless, surely we need to take actions.

But what action is not hypocritical and unfairly judgmental? No laws prevent the German to crisply prepare their Eisbein, although the Muslim believes they’re sacred. The Americans have a Beef Burger Hut on every corner, and again the Indian who believes otherwise have no say. South Africa is well known for Game Biltong, what about all the Springbuck and other game hunted to make this sought after snack, a vegetarians view and opinion on this is not even considered?  

We do not judge these cultures or opinions either way for Pigs, Cows and small game can be bread for these consumers. Why not the same with Rhino? Rhino has proven to breed well in both Game farms and breeding farms, whether privately owned or state property. These animals don’t need to be killed like the other examples but their product can be harvested with no ill effect to the Rhino, and yet we rather prosecute the culture and the user instead of pursuing the obvious problem of the conservation of this unique species and doing anything in our means to protect their existence for our grandchildren to enjoy.

 I do not agree in any way with the Eastern ways and cultures, but my more present concern is our Southern African Rhino – let us focus on their conservation. Support and encourage the Rhino farmer to build up the numbers of these animals in dire need of saving and the authorities to legalize the sustainable harvesting of rhino horn. This will in turn save the lives of our rhino currently being slaughtered for their horn.