Coffee in Zurich, Rhino in Kruger

Here’s a biggie. Clair was in South Africa, Zurich and Madagascar. These are some of her pics with Indri and Fruitloop. She sent this message:

Indri and I were lucky enough to see five Rhino’s in Kruger Park. The future of the Rhinoceros is very uncertain. Demand on the black market for Rhino horn is growing as demand in China and Vietnam increases as people are stupid (or desperate) enough to believe it can cure all types of disease. Medical science has shown that Rhino horn has no more medical benefits than chewing ones own nails, meaning it has no benefit at all. Demand is so high that Rhino horn is fetching up to 2 million rand (158,730.29 GBP) per kilo. One rhino can have over three kgs of horn. Poaching techniques have become so sophisticated that poachers will send people on game drives, get them to take photos and send gps coordinates to the poachers who will go to as much length as hiring helicopters to fly in, shoot the Rhino and cut off the horn. Poachers are now even targeting the Private Game Reserves. Tackling poaching is very difficult with the new poaching techniques and over 200 rhino’s have already been killed this year. Last year 380 were poached, with demand so high, this year looks far worse. On the plus side about 200 poachers have also lost their lives this year. The battle to save the Rhino’s continues with many private game reserves resorting to darting (tranquilizing) their rhino’s and cutting off their horns. At the current rate the Rhino will soon become extinct in the wild. I viewed the Rhino with great awe and amazement, yet great sadness to think that not many more people will have this amazing opportunity to see Rhino’s in the wild or Rhino’s at all.