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My contribution for this week’s challenge…
Signs
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The Khama Rhino Sanctuary was our second stop in Botswana.
As the sign states, the Rhinoceros population here is being watched over….
if fact cared for by a military guard.
Signs indicated…
where to eat,
the most important place of all on a hot day,
and of course that swimming was available.
This sign was self-explanatory.
I just love the placement of this sign…
in the background is a temporary canvas restaurant, and bar, and…
to the left are the beginnings of the new restaurant,
the previous restaurant having burned down,
This photo is a sure sign of better things to come.
Rule number three states: ‘Driving is not allowed after dark’.
We were told that this because the sanctuary is guarded twenty-four hours a day
by members of a nearby military camp…
and to re-enforce this statement we had noted these towers,
during our drive around the sanctuary.
Another sign of poaching problems.
Poaching Rhinoceros for their (keratin-fingernail) horn is so bad that in
excess of 1,000 rhinoceros were killed in South Africa alone, in 2013,
…just for the horn.
That is nearly 3 rhinos shot dead
EACH & EVERY
day during 2013.
I did hear that even a foetus had its horn removed
The policy here, is ‘shoot first ask questions later’.
I was not about to test the policy!
Graph 1, data published by South African Department of Environmental Affairs (2014)
http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/poaching_statistics
By my calculations, the 2013 figure of
1004 deaths
will be
exceeded
this year
~~~~~
~~~~~
WoollyMuses 
This is terrible, and so very close to my heart, because I grew up in South Africa, every rhino murdered is one rhino closer to extinction of the species.
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I must confess to only being made aware of how bad it was in September, 2013 when we visited. We saw some beautiful specimens a few weeks ago and will perhaps publish some photos at a later date.
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Pingback: Signs | Blogged With Words
How sad. Thanks for the information.
janet
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A powerful if tragic interpretation on the theme. Great post.
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Thank you…Just hope it turns around
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Me too!
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Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs | Wide Eyed in Wonder
Great post. it is so sad that rhinos are killed for just a small part of their great bodies. Thanks for posting this. 😀
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Sad. Yes. I hope we can stop it. You may be interested in this link http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-24/an-viet-rhino-horn/4978296 or the link to the Australian project included in other replies.
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These are terrifying figures – but I’m not surprised.
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I think reading this article is even more depressing. The ownership of rhino horn is likened to having a two car garage, in some countries.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-24/an-viet-rhino-horn/4978296
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Sign photos are a wonderful way of capturing place.
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They are
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Any idea as to what changed in the past 5 years that the poaching numbers have suddenly gone crazy?
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Demand from China and Vietnam are the major reasons why poaching has increased. Wealthy members of some Asian countries has driven demand for rhino horn. I have included part of an article found on this webiste:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-24/an-viet-rhino-horn/4978296
Douglas Hendrie, from the Hanoi-based Education for Nature Vietnam, says while research explored the perceived medicinal values of rhino horn, the survey also found the desire to “show off” was the overriding factor for Vietnam’s wealthy.
“You find people using rhino horn much the same way as you might own a two-car garage,” he told Asia Pacific.
“But rather than parking your two Mercedes Benz in the garage you park them out on the driveway so your neighbours can see them.
“And so it’s a from of conspicuous consumption, gifting out rhino horn to colleagues or bosses or winning or earning favour by doing so, or just showing off.”
Rhino horn reportedly sells for up to $US1,400 an ounce – about the price of gold.
Mr Hendrie says the demand for rhino horn in Vietnam is likely to increase as the country’s economy develops – and its middle class expands.
http://africanrhino.org/background-to-rhino-poaching/
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That makes me both sad and really angry!
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I know what you mean.
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Thank you for the informative post. This is one of those times that “liking” a post is not really a like. The statistics you reveal are very distressing. I appreciate when blogs help to build awareness… a first step in the foundations for change…
-Jane
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It is distressing…there are many who hope awareness will change things.
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Those stats are depressing…
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Extremely depressing. Not only just rhinos. Last year I believe that a species of giraffe was declared extinct in part of Africa. Cannot understand why people would want to shoot a giraffe!
I found this Australian link yesterdasy: http://theaustralianrhinoproject.org/
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😦
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I love your post…the images and your comments. The loss of rhinos is disheartening. I’m glad it’s being taken seriously and hope they are able to perverse these amazing animals. Thank you for including my blog in your list as well. Peace.
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Thank you. Anything which can be done to raise awareness is helpful. Check out our Australian connection: http://theaustralianrhinoproject.org/
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Thanks for posting these signs about the rhinos. We saw similar ones in South Africa. I didn’t take pictures of the signs, but should have. We even bought children’s shirts for gifts saying Save the Rhinos. The problem must be terrible. So very, very sad.
Check out our Australian connection: http://theaustralianrhinoproject.org/
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It is extremely sad. ONE rhino shot every EIGHT hours…not to mention some of the anit-poacher brigade as well
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Wonderful that you combined the fun photo challenge with raising awareness of the plight of our rhinos Woolly. Sad stats of affairs, but with the citizens of the world getting up to support us in the fight, we have to turn the tide somewhere.
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Thank you. It is sad that rhinos are being poached out of existence. I discovered an Australian connection yesterday and only hope it is genuine
http://theaustralianrhinoproject.org/
At the moment I am nearly finished a novel by Tony Park, Aussie author, which has as part of the plot a trophy hunter stalking a rhino. Makes more sense these days than it would have a few years ago.
Hopefully sanity will prevail and demand for rhino horn and ivory will diminish due to public pressure.
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