Rhino Poaching..., Rhino hunting..., what's the difference? In the end there are no Rhinos!



Kruger National Park

When the Texas gent won an auction – bidding a whopping $350,000 US dollars or 3,900,000 Rand – for what he, I assume, considered the privilege of hunting and killing a black rhinoceros, I am sure he never imagined the fervor that was to follow.  Although I don’t know the man, I assume he was somewhat innocent in this process; perhaps a guy who enjoys hunting and bought into the bull he was sold – that this, the marked rhino, was old, not capable of breeding and considered a danger to other younger rhinos, therefore better off dead.   I might have believed the same had I been uneducated about the plight of rhinos and had more money than I had the sense to figure out what to do with and enjoyed hunting. 



Etosha national Park

Please don’t get the sense that I am a vegetarian or vegan, (nothing wrong with either) protesting about eating meat.   I do indeed eat meat.  In fact, when in Namibia I enjoyed a fantastic exotic game meal at Joe’s Beerhouse consisting of crocodile, kudu and warthog.  When in Kruger National Park last fall I enjoyed steaks of kudu, wildebeest sausage and more.  Here lies the difference; locals nor tourists eat rhino.  Killing a rhino is not a sustainable kill.  And contrary to what this guy was told, this marked rhino, he bid so much to kill, is not better off dead and not a danger to younger virile rhinos.  He is an old male that deserves to live out his life as nature planned….

Let me again set the stage to my thoughts.  I am a permitted gun carriers.  I can shoot, disassemble, clean, reassemble, load and shoot again the weapons I own.  And briefly this year I even considered going west in the US on a buffalo hunt.  But no, even though I enjoy shooting, there is no way I could kill an animal even knowing the meat would be consumed.  I don’t, however, condone hunting.  My brother has hunted.  However, every bit of the meat from his kills get consumed. 

Much controversy surrounds wild game hunting in Africa.  A disturbing picture circulated on facebook this week of a woman posing in front of a dead lion upon which someone had propped a beer can in his mouth; defacing this lion – in his death - of all his regal dignity.  She probably paid large sums to participate in that hunt; and she may have thought this hunt was fair game between her and the lion based on what lies she had been told when her safari company attempted to get her tourists dollars.  I read on one site that was advertising buffalo hunts the following; “Here buffalo roam wild in high fenced properties….”  Really?  How is it buffalo are roaming wild when the property they roam in has a high fence?

Kruger National Park

I have to ask, what is the difference between a rhino poacher and someone who pays great money to kill a rhino?  I tried desperately to find out how much a rhino poacher makes in research for this blog but that figure is not disclosed anywhere.  I know though it is a lot less than this hunter paid to kill a rhino.  I am also sure that the poacher - should he live – is paid a lot less than the Asians pay for the horn they believe cures many ills. 

I have had the pleasure of seeing rhino in the wild a couple of times.  In Etosha Game Park in Namibia I saw three black rhino come down to a watering hole to drink.  When in Kruger National Park this past fall I saw white rhino on three occasions.  During one such sighting a Kruger helicopter flew over to check on the rhino to make sure he was safe from poachers.  In the Nogorongoro crater in Tanzania each rhino has a guard that watches him from a distance to ensure his safety.  Surely, if these animals are in such a critical state that these measures for their safety have to be in place then why in God’s name are we allowing someone to bid what they may to kill one?

Kruger National Park


To the Asians who believe these ground horns can cure cancer, hangovers, erectile dysfunction or serve as a party drug - more expensive than the illicit drug cocaine - I say, pull your fingernails off one at a time and grind then up.  Your fingernails are made of keratin, the same as rhino horn.  So if rhino horns solve the aforementioned ailments so should your ground up nails!

I would love to directly address my fellow American who bid so much money for the opportunity to kill that rhino but I cannot write words as beautifully as the Kenyan ranger who wrote a letter to the hunter which I have linked below.  His poignant letter is worth your time to read.  He exemplified that in this battle we must have understanding and compassion and yet be determined to stick to our laurels for the cause. 

With rhino numbers being so low, I can only hope there will be some remaining in the wild the next time I get the pleasure of being in Africa.

Below is the link to the letter I eluded to.  Enjoy!
http://blog.africageographic.com/africa-geographic-blog/hunting/kenyan-rangers-moving-letter-to-american-rhino-hunter/