Save our Rhinos

Now is the time that I can finally post my rhino pictures from my South Africa trip (September 10, 2016-October 10, 2016). Many people know that poaching is a current problem in the world but I don't think people understand the severity of it. Rhino poaching has dramatically increased over the years . These beautiful mammals are continuously being hunted down for their horns so they may be sold on the black market. These rates have increased due to the ancient, Asian, "myth" that their horn; if ground into powder, can be used as a cure for a multitude of diseases including cancer. It has also risen to such a price that people are now buying them to show their 'wealthy' status to those who surround them. What drives me crazy is that I don’t think people know that a rhino’s horn is actually made of the same biologic material as human hair and nails; keratin. In 2015 alone, around 1175 rhinos were poached in Africa. Just in the Greater Kruger Area, 826 of these 1175 rhinos we're hunted down, shot and killed just for their horns. Many of whom were still alive when their horns were so viciously taken from them, and some were even new mothers. Despite conservational efforts the numbers continue to climb from the outrageous tactics poachers are taking. This main reason is why I have had to wait to post these pictures. Poachers are becoming so forceful that when searching for their next kill they are beginning to look through pictures that travelers have taken while on vacation. These monsters are looking so far into the pictures so that they can study the land that particular rhino is photographed on. They learn it to the point of knowing a rhinos exact location. By posting these pictures, almost 3 months after my stay, it renders the info within the photo useless. It is an additional effort that conversationalist are having to take in stopping rhino poaching. Due to the severity there is really no single answer in solving this ever-growing problem. Conversationalists are doing whatever they can to repel these poachers away from the magnificent creatures. They are trying everything from removing as much of the horn as possible, dying their horns various colors, and the latest idea, flooding the market with carbon copies of these horns. All of these efforts have effective and ineffective components that prove there is no one way to control this problem. My only hope is that this ongoing fight prevails in the way of conservationist so that in my years to come, my children and grandchildren may see these animals in more than just a book.