In the futile effort to reduce the plummeting numbers of Rhinos in South Africa and all over the world nature conservationists are dehorning the gentle giants.
WARNING - Not for sensitive readers
What man is doing.
We’re dehorning Rhinos so poachers won’t kill them, but they still do for the little bit of horn left under the skin. Now the 2.2 ton rhino becomes even more defenceless! The horn it had was its only means of defence.
Because if we don't
So this is where we're at.
A few days ago a video started going around about a dehorned rhino that was killed at a waterhole by a hippopotamus. Granted hippos are probably the most volatile and dangerous land animals there are. But… What chance does a dehorned rhino have against a hippo protecting its waterhole? At least with its horn the hippo might not attack and if it does the rhino can fight back.
What gets me is that the person taking the video does nothing! At the end of the video he asks: “Wat moet ons doen?” (What must we do?) ** What kind of a question is that??!!** Agreed that nature should take its course, but not if man caused an imbalance in the first place! It’s because of poaching that man intervenes by cutting the horn off. Then surely man should continue to intervene in the effort to protect rhinos from extinction! He didn’t have to kill the hippo. He could have tranquilised it or screamed or SOMETHING other than just stand there taking the video! I would have!
The hippo pierced the rhino’s side with its tusks and the rhino drowned. The video attached is definitely not for sensitive viewers.
This is about as much as I can write because I’ve lost control. I’ve said this before, but I have to say it again:
- I’m furious because these majestic animals are defenceless against the guns and knives of poachers and because we’re maiming them to save them they’ve become defenceless against other animals.
- Rhinos are killed because of stupidity, ignorance and callous greed.
- If the killing doesn’t stop soon, all there’ll be left are photos to show my children.
- And now I’m crying like a baby because all I want to do is put myself between them and the poachers, if only to save one.
- I’m crying because I feel absolutely and utterly helpless in the fight for their survival.
That's me at one of the most amazing encounters of these gentle giants
