Between the 1890's and the 1960's, White Rhinos were almost hunted to extinction and it was thought that they would die out. A Conservation Success StoryĪs mentioned above, there have been success stories in the past. It is presented to a boy when he is 12 years old. A common myth is that it is used as an aphrodisiac, but this is not true.Īnother country where Rhino horn is popular is Yemen where Rhino horn is highly prized and used as the handle for a traditional dagger called a "jambiya" which is a symbol of manhood. The horn is mostly sold in Eastern countries such as Japan where they are used in traditional medicine to cure headaches, fever, and food poisoning and even snake bites. The Rhino is poached for its horn, a fibrous growth that is mostly made of Keratin, the same stuff that our fingernails are made out of. Since 2008 there has been a dramatic increase in the incidences of poaching in South Africa and in the first three months of 2012 over 100 Rhino have been poached despite increased anti-poaching efforts. However both species are threatened, as they are being ruthlessly hunted by highly skilled and armed poaching syndicates. The White Rhino's population recovery was due to intensive conservation efforts. There are around 4000 Black Rhinos alive today down from 16 000 in 1970, while for White Rhinos the reverse is true, in 1970 there were 200 left whereas today there are about 18 000 White Rhinos. Rhinos are severely threatened due to poachers. It is a browser and has a pointed lip that is specially adapted for pulling leaves off branches. The Black Rhino is slightly smaller than the White Rhino. White Rhino are not white but grey, and the name is thought to be a misinterpretation of the Afrikaans word "weit" meaning wide in reference to their square shaped mouth which helps them graze. The rarest of its members is the Rhino which is now confined to protected reserves. Today however Big Five sightings are what draw many of the tourists to Africa. The Rhino is a member of the "Big Five" - what were considered to be the most dangerous animals by colonial hunters, namely Leopard, Elephant, Lion, Buffalo and Rhino. The White Rhino is the largest species of Rhino and South Africa is home to over 80% of the Rhino population. Of the three species that remain today, three are critically endangered. They have existed on Earth for over 50 million years and once roamed through North America and Europe as well as Asia and Africa. Rhinos are one of the largest land mammals alive after Elephants. Rhinos are one of South Africa's biggest draw cards as the country is home to the largest remaining population of these ancient animals. © Rhino mother and her calf in Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
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