Earth Song: Cry for an African Treasure
I have watched my peers grow up to become more conservative. I think the reverse is happening with me. There is a growing joke that as I get older the most likely I will become a tree hugging vegan feminist hippie. I am already half way there.
This past week I heard some troubling news. Last year South Africa saw a record year for Rhino poaching. More than 1,200 rhinos were illegally poached. That number is a 21% increase from the year before. South Africa is home to approximately 18,000 white rhinos and about 1,700 black rhinos. If poaching continues at this rate, rhinos may become extinct over the next two decades. Imagine our children learning about rhinos at an exhibition. We could be talking about rhinos the way we talk about dinosaurs. That is a reality I never want to see come to light.
The surge in poaching has been driven by the high prices for rhino horns on the black market. There is reportedly a strong demand for rhino horns in Vietnam and China. Keratin in the horns is believed to cure various ailments.
The park rangers are leading the fight in the conservation of rhinos but they can only do so much. It will take a collective effort to stop these atrocious acts from being committed. Last year, over 40 nations signed the 'London Declaration' on illegal wildlife trade. With a meeting in Botswana in March, I am hoping these nations will find a way to implement the actions they agreed upon.
Over the next months I will be following up on these events.
This past week I heard some troubling news. Last year South Africa saw a record year for Rhino poaching. More than 1,200 rhinos were illegally poached. That number is a 21% increase from the year before. South Africa is home to approximately 18,000 white rhinos and about 1,700 black rhinos. If poaching continues at this rate, rhinos may become extinct over the next two decades. Imagine our children learning about rhinos at an exhibition. We could be talking about rhinos the way we talk about dinosaurs. That is a reality I never want to see come to light.
The surge in poaching has been driven by the high prices for rhino horns on the black market. There is reportedly a strong demand for rhino horns in Vietnam and China. Keratin in the horns is believed to cure various ailments.
The park rangers are leading the fight in the conservation of rhinos but they can only do so much. It will take a collective effort to stop these atrocious acts from being committed. Last year, over 40 nations signed the 'London Declaration' on illegal wildlife trade. With a meeting in Botswana in March, I am hoping these nations will find a way to implement the actions they agreed upon.
Over the next months I will be following up on these events.
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