In their first media release and rhino poaching update since 19 December 2013, the Department of Environmental Affairs have finally revealed just how many rhino were slaughtered by poachers in South Africa in 2013. The number killed was 1,004! This is a 50% increase over the 668 slaughtered in 2012, which is appalling. The daily slaughter rate now stands at an all-time high of one rhino killed every 8 hours 44 minutes! We must now realise that the traditional reactive approaches to winning the Rhino War are not working. While physical, on-the-ground counter-poaching operations, equipment and training is vital, we must understand that only a focused and well-funded proactive approach of education led by Asian celebrities will ever have a hope of winning the hearts and minds at the source of the problem. It took almost a decade of constant effort by Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball star, against the consumption of shark fin soup, to have a visible effect on Asian consumption, and this is has worked. Effective education in Asia is the only way to save the rhino, which is what the Rhinose Foundation is all about, so please give it horns for our rhino by purchasing a Rhinose at CNA for just R30 and proudly wearing it on your car!
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 21:43:25 +0000
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