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Subscribe to RSSConservationists are fighting a battle against poachers in South Africa - almost 2 rhinos a day are being killed for their lucrative horns. NBC's Rohit Kachroo reports from the Kar-eeka reserve where veterinarians try to save a rhino which has been savagely wounded.
More than one rhino is being killed in South Africa by poachers each day -- with 2012 on target to be the worst year on record.
Some 159 rhinos have fallen victim to poachers since January, a death toll that looks set to surpass last year's grim figure of 449. In 2007, only 13 were killed in the country.
Demand comes from parts of China and Vietnam, where new wealth has combined with an age-old myth that rhino horns can be used to cure cancer.
Rhino horns are now worth an estimated $25,000 per pound, making their natural weapon worth more than gold.
Report: Poachers slaughter half of elephants in African park
Three rhinos were wounded in a single incident last month. Two died, but one -- named Thandi -- survived, though she remains seriously ill.
'Some glimmer of hope'
With little positive news from the frontline of the war with poachers, "Save Thandi" has become a rallying cry amongst those who care about the plight of the rhino in South Africa.
Bringing up baby ... elephants
"People are desperate to see something going right, some positive news, some glimmer of hope that we can actually do something that saves one," wildlife veternarian Dr William Fowlds said. "I think what has come through so strongly over the past month is how important every single animal is to us."
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
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Anyone caught with a rhino horn should be sodomized with it along with the other penalties they have. But I'm sure that would give them more incentive to kill more of them.
Man always destroys everything in its path. If its not whales,tigers or mink, elephants for their tusk,fur or God knows what. I will always look down on man for their greed. Poor animals.!!!!!!!!!
Somebody needs to tell those quacks that rhino horns DO NOT cure cancer. This is seriously the reason they're being killed??
They have been told. Numerous times. Scientists have stated over and over again that rhino horns, tiger bone, bear bile, deer penises and all other kinds of animal products used in "traditional" asian medicine have either no curative properties whatsoever, or if there is a minimal medical benefits, it is easily replaced with other medications. That hasn't killed the demand. If anything, it's gotten worse over the past years.
China has done very little to try to deal with this problem. Technically, it's illegal to sell these products, yet they are easy to find. A tiger "farm" openly advertises and sells tiger bone wine despite it's illegality. I try to remain optimistic that things might improve for animals, but I'm losing hope. It's horrifying that the last wild rhinos and tigers might very well die out in my lifetime.
The reason China does very little, and the same holds true for other countries in Asia like Vietnam and Cambodia, it is to keep the people ignorant of the world around them. Let them still believe in the "Old Ways" and that keeps them from find out what SCHMUCKS their people in power really are!
Unbelievable.... and don't forget the "shark fin soup" they think does whatever as well. A major reason why sharks are disappearing off the face of the earth. All for myths with absolutely no medical value. I'm not a "tree hugger", but I certainly do not condone waste of any kind, especially animals. I love to fish and I catch and release 95% of the time simply because I know others are not following the laws for limits. Any poacher caught should be shot on sight and China should get cracked with sanctions HARD to stop this nonsense. It would be all out war if they were stealing oil, but animals are not as profitable of a natural resource so it won't happen. Total shame....
There is also a show called "Dying for Daggers", These Horns are being made into Traditional knives for middle eastern men, Between the rise in wealth in China and the Middle East Rhino's do not stand a chance?
I feel somewhat better that these a-hs who think that rhino horns will cure their cancer are going to die of it. When will the superstitious little brains over there catch up that it isn't working?
Ignorance is dangerous on so many levels.
just replying here so it gets some more eyes. But, I want to donate to some charities to help with this sort of thing, but want my money helping the animals and not just covering operating costs. Anyone know of some???
This is not hunting for food, this is torture and murder and the Perps should be jailed and have theirs cut off as payback!
@weentoddle
You can check WWF. They do great work all around the world. Charities have to report what portion of their donations go to overhead costs. Google it.
1, 12.2 deleted, David, Tampa and HandsomeAndTruthful smearing all Africans and Asians, respectively.
You're each suspended for a day for violating #5 of the Code of Honor.
Master of the universe;
How about when convicted, we cut their horn off?
Rhino horn, bear paw, shark fin etc etc. Poachers that are caught should never make it back to camp. It's that simple.
I'm telling you, we need to flood the market with cheap knock offs. Everyone clip your nails and grind them up and slap "Rhino Horns" label on them!
Our toe nails too?
With all the money we (USA) waste on lost causes around the world (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan), why not divert some of it here so they could have more troops to guard the endangered animals. I'd much rather see my tax money going there than have it wasted on radical Muslim countries that hate us and only want us dead................
I agree with you here Roscoe.
Why not give them a couple of predator drones to help them search for poachers 24/7? That would be a lot more effective than having foot patrols. The IR sensors would work at night and they would stand a greater chance of locating the poachers before they can slaughter the wonderful creatures.
Roscoe2u... not for nothing, but ummm... well its hard to take your comment about protecting animals seriously when your icon is two dudes standing over a dead animal lol... but glad you care about some of those endangered types and i agree that our tax dollars can be spent better.
In response to Rosco2u, the reason the U.S. doesn't invest money in causes like saving beautiful animals like Rhinos is because it does not result in a Big Political Gain. The people power in the U.S. Government are only interested in their own Personal Political Gain, everything else can go to hell.
Good post SingBiker
Saving animals isn't profitable.
You'll never get anyone behind it unless it's something that's profitable.
Man will send every animal in the world into extinction if they can make a buck off of it.
It will never stop.. either.
Ahh, Pubby, but animals are much intelligent then we are. And they have survived longer---just wait for one day they will revolt and I hope I am still here to see it!
Three words plain and simple....."I despise poachers".
SingBiker actually has a very practical solution. Drones would be an excellant use of the technology for this problem. We may depart on one thing, though - that is, I would be perfectly fine with using armed Predator drones.
I am completely floored that we are driving a noble animal to extinction so a bunch of old Asian farts can get it up. That's factual, not racist. Don't they get the little blue pill in their part of the world?
KC mentions shark fin soup in 2.5. This is another bug up my butt. I actually like shark meat, but eat it sparingly, from whole food species, and I make it a point to watch which species are threatened. I can't believe there are people who absolutely can't get married unless a shark is finned for their cause and thrown barely alive back into the ocean to suffer and die. Hell, the Italians are fine with meatball soup, why can't you be?
Sorry, I ramble on.
Look, I'm a meat eater, but wasteful and wanton disregard is criminal.
Stupid ignorant people! Give me a truck and a gun...park my butt in Africa and don't ask questions. And in the meantime...will someone please tell these idiots once and for all they can't get a hard on from rhino horns!
Just convince Chinese and Vietnamese women that having sex with men who take rhino horn will kill them. The market will dry up in a hurry.
Makes one proud China has Most Favored Nation trade status with the United States. It's not enough that they took our jobs, sell us products which are hazardous, try to hack into government computers, etc. With trade partners like this, who needs enemies?
MIT predicted a global collapse by 2030. Destroying rhinos for their horns is an example of why a collapse will surely happen. Once humanity has destroyed everything else, it will then hunt other humans to extinction as well.
Don't forget the other thing China does with all the money we spend there -- compete with us for gasoline driving up the price.
Right on, AncientGeek. I mean HOW DARE THEY want to own and drive cars and improve their lives. All the rest of the world should be perfectly content to remain mired in the 19th century so Americans can freely consume all the planet's fossil fuels.
Come on.
There are LOADS of things to throw out there to indict China, their wanton disregard for animals is chief among them. Trying to demonize them for daring to want to up their standard of living and drive motor vehicles? Not even on the list. Shame on you.
It kills me that our government knows that China is hacking us and we just keep doing business like all is fine. I have had it with China. I wish more people would stop buying Made in China and start holding them accountable for things like the rhino poaching. Maybe China did not do the poaching, but they are doing the buying.
Hey Boromir, its called human nature, get a life.
I live in the south and that damn Kudzu that came from China is taking over. If only China thought it would cure cancer. HMMMM!
bubbling,
How do you intend to get people to stop buying Chinese? That would mean giving up most cell phones, TV's, computers, electronics in general, toys - just about everything you can get a WalMart. Be easier to just shut down WalMart, which would put a huge dent in their exports until Amazon took over the customer base.
singbiker- I have no idea. However, it would be a start if people tried to not buy from China all the time. Try to buy USA products on occasion. It would be a step in the right direction. I feel like most Americans do not even check where a product is made.
Great post bouncehouse. I went the other week and watched "Hunger Games" in NorCal. This movie based on the first novel unfortunately is a strikingly plain and simple final answer to where Mankind is leading us down a trail of no going back = de-evolution... The suffering of near extinct animals put to death for poaching is quite troubling - and I as an oncology development expert am saddened by the deeply ingrained ignorance of people in specific Countries that so wrongly believe that they could ever be cured by "Eastern Black Magic."
This just breaks my heart!! : (
The fate of wildlife in South Africa took a deadly turn in 1994. The pace of extermination has increased over the past few years as the ANC has gotten rid of more and more of the former honorable and diligent park rangers and replaced them with their cronies. It is no accident that South Africa was one of the few remaining places on the continent of Africa where the rhino still remained in viable herds before the transition over to the completely corrupt ANC.
How true. Of course, any who espouse such a stance are immediately labeled as racist, an accusation that is impossible to defend against. South Africa is rapidly following in the steps of Zimbabwe---complete chaos.
yeah. this is sick. i would rather see the U.S. get involved in a war against this than our other losing wars.
the chinese can cure cancer but they can't supply basic human rights or clean air??? amazing
Time for some Ramboesque scenarios. Hire mercenaries to cover where the Rhinos are most likely to be found. Then equip these vigilantes with modern missile launchers, hi-tech weapons and kill on sight. What nation will step up and fund this life saving operation?
The easiest way to solve the problem is to make it a death sentence for anyone killing, buying, handling, or possession of a rhino horn, even in powder form.
Ryan, only problem is ENFORCING any of these laws. To vast a land mass and too few resources. No money either. I say just one cheap bullet to the head of anyone caught in the act of poaching. Then watch how fast poaching stops. Or as Terror Bird says...DRONE Protection.
Speaking of Asians. It's too bad Congress is letting China and our corporate world RUIN America. It's all about their bottom line.
Corn-Fed-Up,
The problem is that the high price paid for the horns means that for every poacher killed, two more will take his/her place. Poverty is so rampant in most of Africa, so it is easy to see why these ignorant people are so ready to commit the crime.
It is amazing that any male would use rhino horn even as powder since it causes your penis to shrink and your offspring to have micro penises.
I hope that everyone that takes it for cancer to suffer a very long time for what they have done..
And believe me they will.
I say build an air base in Africa and have drones watch out for rhinos and elephants. After seeing someone take down one of the protected creatures, send a predator missile down their throat. Let's see how long the poachers keep at it when death from above from the all-seeing eyes of our fleets of predators are on the prowl.
Terror Bird...........You got a brilliant plan their my friend. Drone Protection ! Very cost effective. Very capable. It's the way of the future, but i'm afraid by the time anyone would implement such a plan, all of Gods creatures will be gone ! But then WE will follow and that will stop the poaching. No one will be left to poach.
I've been saying for decades now that the ONLY way to virtually stop or slow down poaching to a crawl is to SHOOT THE FRIGGIN POACHERS ON SITE ! But of course that would be inhumane. HHMMM, we can kill scientists in other countries for working on Nuclear projects or support countries that do kill these scientists ( which i also support killing them if that might save thousands of lives ) but how dare us for shooting poachers ! I say make it known world wide that all poachers caught will be shot on site, no questions asked. Then we will see how fast poaching will come to a screeching halt.
Just so you know, those that are in charge of protecting these vast parks are armed with guns...and they are allowed to stop poachers anyway possible. It was just last week that 2 poachers died and one was seriously injured. Unfortunately, there is more money in hiring more poachers than hiring more park rangers.
castrate the poachers. that would be a great solution for those willing to destroy the life of another creature that was sent into this world by the creator of all things. Castrate them to show the world that this will not stand, this will not be tolerated. Stop buying goods from china and vietnam, is is very simple.
Castrate them, shoot them- either would be acceptable to me.
Terrible how man has become so short-sighted as to drive his fellow creatures around him into extinction.
The horns grow back. Farm the Rhinos. . .
Also, send the idiots in asia counterfiet rhino horn. more valuable than counterfiet chanel handbags too.
Old myths, legends, folklore, money, whatever drives these natives of Africa to kill their own animals that have been in the region for years and once again the problem seems to be Asian not that these people haven't been buying for a long time...with the internet, and news reports we're hearing more of it. I agree with tough enforcement where these animals are and I'm not for a slap on the hand with poachers but, corruption and turning of heads by officials wont help solve problems. Lets face it money talks.
I despise poachers, but I also despise these idiotic people who think Rhino horn cures something.
Due to stupid ass Chinese, Thinking a horn pf hair will make them men.. Until they have the balls to fight for freedom what good is it to have a horn and no balls
WE send MONEY to LAZY...STUPID AFERICA...piss on them..send SNIPERS to KILL these POACHERS...people can SURVIVE one way or another..they can SPEAK..and ask for help...hands to help themselves..these ANIMALS have NOTHING...WHERE THE HELL ..is GOD..? How about SAVING SOMETHING YOU made...SMITE these POS Men..I am TIRED of hearing RELIGOUS People talk about SOMETHING that lets CRAP like this go...SEND MOSES ....NOW..SAVE the ANAMILS and TAKE OBAMA to EGYPT!!!
This comment just oozes ignorance. I am an American that now resides in South Africa, and this country as well as the rest of Africa is not what many portray it as! There is more to this continent than what you see on television...sounds like it's more than "Stupid Aferica" that needs better education on this subject. Just so you know the vast majority of African people want these poachers stopped and punished, however money 'speaks' to the minority that decide to go into the poaching business. Please do not blame the wrong people.
I think your caps lock key is broken. You may want to buy a new keyboard.
I think when they catch a poacher cutting off a rhino horn then they should cut off the poachers horn.
Can I just say as a keen supporter of the conservation of African wildlife, it is wonderful to see that American people are paying attention to rhinos being killed for medicine. The myth is that the best part of the horn is at the base, so that is why the poachers hack the poor creatures faces off.
Please raise awareness in the USA of the poaching of rhino or any other African animal. Rhinos are actually very gentle and you should see the mothers with their babies. The babies are so cute and they often die if the mother is killed, because they are dependent on their mother for 18 months after birth until they are weaned.
gas them and burn them before they attempt to touch one more Rhino. You can't educate humans who are less than animals. The lives of 20 Rhinos have more worth than 20 million Africans who don't see anything beyond the $$$ value. Stupid Africans and stupid Chinese/Vietnames. The culprits must be given a punishment without a judiciary, throw them into a lion's den or tiger's encroachment.
I wish someone would take out the scumbags to save the rhinos. Whoever is caught with their horns should be shot immediately.
The governments ars too busy to keep them their partys ruling their country ,they take some actions in speeches but not to wipe out rhino's killers, parts sellers & businesses & also buyers. also politions supports rhinos' killers 0r connected to this business.
kill the poachers
Couldn't agree with you more! Just Shoot em!