Rhino poaching within South Africa has reached an all-time high during the first four months of 2015 with an 18% rise from last year. By the end of April of this year, 393 Rhinos had been poached, 290 of which were poached in Kruger National Park, and just last year, over 1200 rhinos were killed due to poaching, a staggering increase from the 13 poached in 2007. The reason these animals are brutally poached is for their ivory horns which are believed to cure typhoid fever, cancer, infertility, and convulsions. Although there are laws in place against poaching which have led to the incarceration of thousands of perpetrators, and other measures have been taken to move rhinos from key poaching spots, more precautions could be taken in order to maximize the total protection of rhinos in South Africa. This includes making stricter laws and punishments for rhino poaching, making the purchase of rhino horns illegal in more Asian countries such as China, Thailand and Vietnam, dehorning rhinos, and adding extra security to key poaching locations. However, stricter laws will not deter many poachers as the money is very appealing and not many poachers are actually apprehended due to the vast expanses in which rhinos roam. Making horn purchases illegal also will not work as those who wish to procure horns will do so by other means and dehorning also will not work because dehorning male rhinos leads to behavioral problems and problems mating. Finally, adding extra security to key rhino poaching locations is not yet possible because the security already there has overstretched its resources. My personal opinion on the problem is that the poaching of rhinos is sick, inhumane, and should be stopped by any means necessary so we do not lose another animal from this planet. The best solution for this problem would be dyeing the rhinos horns, as this renders them worthless and therefore undesirable to poachers.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/11/rhino-poaching-in-south-africa-at-record-levels-following-18-rise-in-killings
This topic stood out to me, because many humans fail to realize the impact that their actions have on the environment and other species. The deliberate poaching of rhinos is slowly but surely leading to their extinction, which could ultimately change the grassland ecosystems in Africa and other countries. Rhinos help diversify plant species which allows for distinct grazing patches for other animals. Without rhinos, others species may suffer. I think that dehorning rhinos at birth would be one of the best solutions to this problem. Therefore, rhinos can live free in the wild and continue to help the grasslands thrive; their horns can continue to be used to cure illnesses plaguing humans.
ReplyDeleteDehorning Rhinos
DeleteI agree that enacting stricter poaching laws in these regions would prove ultimately ineffective due to black market practices and disregard for policies. I disagree, however, that dehorning rhinos at birth would be a viable solution to the problem, as rhinos' horns play a vital role in the animals' development and reproduction. The beasts use their horns in physical altercations amongst males and use these extremities in attracting mates. While dehorning infant rhinos seems like a win-win solution, man would still strongly impact the entire rhino species through this practice.
Although I understand that rhinos’ horns are useful for their development and reproduction, I believe that dehorning rhinos at birth would still be a viable option, because rhinos, along with many wild animals, are able to adapt to many conditions. Climate change is a growing problem globally, resulting in environmental changes and altering habitats. Many animals have learned to respond and adapt to these changes to survive. If rhinos grew up and developed without their horns, I believe they would develop other means of defense. For example, Asian rhinos tend to use their sharp, tusk-like teeth in defense. When combined with their massive size, strength and tough skin, these physical characteristics could be a triple threat against predators and could overall decrease the fatality rate among rhinos.
ReplyDeleteI think that there should be stricter laws to prevent these amazing animals from being poached. They are being poached because people think that their ivory horns can cure cancer, typhoid fever, fertility, and convulsion. But there has been no research done to confirm that their horns can cure these diseases. We are basically killing them for their money, which is a pretext to say that they are killing them because the horns can cure cancer, typhoid fever, etc. People who poach these animals should have life in prison.
ReplyDelete