If poachers in South Africa are not stopped immediately then our rhinos face extinction, and tourists will no longer come to see the Big 5, but rather the Big 4. Every 22 hours a rhino is poached, according to information Grocott's Mail received from activist group Outraged SA Citizens against Poaching, while the government debates whether or not it should make all rhino hunting illegal.
If poachers in South Africa are not stopped immediately then our rhinos face extinction, and tourists will no longer come to see the Big 5, but rather the Big 4. Every 22 hours a rhino is poached, according to information Grocott's Mail received from activist group Outraged SA Citizens against Poaching, while the government debates whether or not it should make all rhino hunting illegal.
Rhino horns are coveted in certain foreign countries because they are believed to have special healing properties – like the ability to cure gout and fever. "The most controversial one is the supposed cure for cancer," said Carol Harnwell, one of the creators of the Outraged SA Citizens' Facebook group. She explained that the horn is actually made up of compressed hair – similar to horse hooves. “It has been scientifically proven that there are no benefits to your health in eating keratin, almost like biting your nails,” said Harnwell.
According to Consultancy African Intelligence (CAI), the international trade in rhino horn was banned in 1976 and the Chinese government banned the trade in 1993. However, there is a loophole in South Africa's Biodiversity Act, that states rhino horn may be traded as a trophy – if it is obtained with a legal permit. These horns then go straight to the East for medicine and ornamental use, according to the organisation, and the economic boom in the East has created a huge market to develop, while Africa sits with the ongoing slaughter of rhinos.
Harnwell said poachers mostly belong to highly organised syndicates that are impossible to track down, and if one is brought to task then another one will just take its place. If poaching is to be stopped, then all rhino hunting must be made illegal, according to Harnwell. She also hopes for the youth to be helped to understand the need to protect our animals. On World Rhino Day on 22 September, "we will be putting up large posters for children to sign at the participating schools, along with taking and sending the minister photos of the day from Grahamstown," said Harnwell.
She asked readers to join the Facebook group Outraged SA Citizens against Poaching that she founded with Allison Thomson, to increase support for this cause. Should people, businesses or schools in the Grahamstown community wish to sign the petition to support the national minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molema, in placing an immediate moratorium on legal rhino hunting, please contact Carol on 082 926 2902 or email carol@oscap.co.za.
