By Meghan Frank
Rock Center
Just days after we aired “Last Stand,” a Rock Center story on the epidemic of illegal rhino poaching in South Africa, we received horrible news. Poachers had attacked three of the rhinos featured in our report.
Our Rock Center investigation that aired in February looked at the dramatic spike in rhino poaching in South Africa. The rise in illegal poaching stems from a growing demand for rhino horn in Asia, where the horn is believed to be a miracle cure.
On the night of March 2, poachers targeted several rhinos that belonged to Graeme Rushmere, the owner of Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa. Veterinarian Will Fowlds, who was also featured in our story, rushed to the scene to try to save the injured rhinos. Fowlds found one of the rhinos dead at the scene, but the two others were still alive, clinging to life. Poachers had shot the rhinos with tranquilizer darts, hacked through their skulls with a machete to get every inch of their horns and left them to bleed to death.
Fowlds and the Kariega team began working around the clock to try to save the two surviving rhinos, a female rhino named Thandi and a male named Themba. Fowlds cleaned their wounds, injected them with antibiotics and gave them medicine to try to ease their pain. For weeks Fowlds and the game reserve staff monitored and tended to the rhinos, but after surviving for nearly a month, Themba died from his injuries. Thandi is still alive.
The traumatic experience of trying to save these severely injured rhinos has been heartbreaking for Fowlds, but it’s also been a call to arms.
“I made a promise to a dead rhino, his name was Themba, that I would make every single day, all 24 days of suffering, count, that I would do everything in my ability to turn suffering into a pain-free future for other rhino,” Fowlds said.
Themba’s death is part of a scourge that’s threatening the rhinos in South Africa and the species as a whole. Already this year poachers have slaughtered more than 170 rhinos for their valuable horns.
Rhino horn has long been prescribed to cure fevers and colds in traditional Asian medicine, but demand in recent years has skyrocketed, and some experts believe this is due to a rumor circulating in Vietnam that rhino horn cures cancer. Scientists have found rhino horn’s medicinal value to be next to nonexistent, but demand continues to grow and the price of rhino horn rises with it. Gram for gram, rhino horn can be more valuable than gold or cocaine.
South Africa is trying every means possible to protect the species, but poachers are wiping out rhinos at a rate of more than one a day and conservationists fear the poaching will continue to rise. Already the killing this year is poised to outpace last year’s record death toll of 448 rhinos.
Fowlds says he is trying not to get thrown into a state of despair by the figures.
“The fear of where this is heading could quite easily paralyze us if we don't remain focused on that which we are able to do. In this war, being fought on so many sides, the most important thing is for each one of us to take care of our portion of the frontline,” Fowlds said.
At the moment, Will Fowld’s frontline is tending to the wounds of Thandi, who is still fighting against all odds to stay alive.
More From Rock Center:
Leave a Comment:
I agree with some others. The army of South Africa should be in there with night vision and shoot to kill orders. These poachers need to go and volunteers that want to come in with their guns for target practice on these poachers they should let them in and pay them for every poacher head brought in. This needs to stop now.
How would you verify that the heads were poachers? Profit motive is behind the rhino poachers. They would turn to killing innocent people for bounty. Guantanamo is full of bounty 'Taliban'.
This makes me physically ill.......it's such a stupid, senseless tragedy. I agree with everyone who says to shoot the poachers on sight. Put a bunch of snipers in the bushes and take them out. As far as the Asian idiots........it will takes many, many years to reverse the centuries of unbelievable "medical" fables.
I agree 100%. It just makes me so angry with these people. Or can I really call them "people". They are animals! Just insane! To think this has gone on for generations and the world has done nothing! But we can have war over nothing! Tell the damned Asians to stop this ridiculous behavior, or they will ALL have to eat blowfish!!! Bunch of pukes.
Human stupidity will kill this planet...whether its pushing the button to start a nuke war or killing off our animal species slowly but surely.....but I digress............
Just kill these poachers and the problem is solved. With all of the technology there is today this should be a piece of cake.
Also, fine the Asians who purchase this. Hit them where it hurts.
Sadly....... most people just don't care enough about the other speices on this planet to do anything about this.
Most humans believe we are the god given rulers of this planet.... That is why I feel NO sadness or remorse when mother nature spanks humanity with her power....Some of these species have been around for millions of years and survived. What odds do you give humanity for doing the same thing? Me I have a better chance of winning the lottery.
Instead of protecting oil fields our military should protect the weak and our planet. Everybody write your congressman tell them you want your tax dollars put to work here. This should be important! I have no problem with killing animals for eating and survival but this is beyond grotesque , Death without a trial should be the only penalty here! What a waste. For all you people that think we should not be involved in the rest of the world imagine the all the cruel things that happen to our fellow man. This rhino horn trade is just a scratch on the surface of what our human race has become. Isolationism is just plain selfish. We as a people and a country need to make a stand and put an end to this rhino killing and press forward to the Sudan and other out of control African countries. Leaving Afganistan would be a mistake and it is too bad that a few people in our govt. and military continue to screw things up. Our policies are bull@!$%#. We are not wiping our enemy out we are arming their will and arsenals. And I agree with sending in the military to stop this rhino attack but maybe just the newly trained Rangers and Seals. We could rotate them in out a sort of war game for practice.
Yeah and the first time a SEAL killed a poacher our media would be all over it. Not thanks. How about we send some money to protect the animals??? If our military needds to go anywhere it is on our border with Mexico. We cant keep allowing illegals to come in and drain our wealth the way they have the last 40 years.
@thom66 - I agree we need to lock down the border but we also need to save the planet... I know that's a big statement but the value of our natural resources is really irreplaceable... it's priceless. So if we took those resources from Iraq and fixed the border we could deploy the Afghan resources tactically to these hot spots and really ame a difference. So I'm in with your plan if you'll back mine!?
Once the invasive species known as man has completed its takeover of the planet, all large mammals will have gone extinct.
heres the problem- to many people here talking crap and not taking a stand against it. We could stop this and other crimes against nature if (WE) got off (OUR) asses and did something besides talk crap on websites like this. AMERICAN TRUTHER, USA.
I would be all for donating money to a group of men thats sole purpose was shoot on the spot anyone that is not allowed on the preserve. These paochers ahev to be killed in a way that everyone knows if they get caught on the preserve it will happen to them. And while we are at it thank the Chinese for their ridiculous beliefs in using rhino horn for medicine.
The original story reported: "Twenty-six poachers were killed last year." GOOD.
But not good enough. I mean, we all die in this world so if you're going to cause major problems, why not send you on your way a little sooner? Hope they can step up their security.
Well as we see even after a world news report on this, that government there still doesn't care...if they did they would do more for the rhino's.
Oh Man.... If someone paid for my flight and I couldnt be prosecuted, I would definetly head over there and and shoot rhino poachers on sight. It would be like the ultimate kill.... How awesome would it be to track poachers and take them out. Ugh. ULTIMATE KILL. I would stay for MONTHS just waxing poachers. Then keep their skulls like the predator. Who has 10k for my ticket?
Mike you are indeed sick!
The situation really saddens my heart. These defenseless animals are at risk for nothing but folklore. It is a very difficult situation and no one seems to be able to manage a solution. Poachers and engaged with this activity due to money of course. Another culture is somehow convinced this animal body part (and those of many others) will cure them...The cultural perception must be changed, perhaps by tourist boycots or some other finanical reinforcement to do so.
One can only hope the poor animal may genetically mutate to produce offspring without a tusk. Then, the poaching would stop.
We humans also are killing many species slowly but surely, by cutting down old-growth tropical hardwood forests and turning them into deserts, using slash-and-burn agricultural methods, and burning fossil fuels for energy. The resulting changes to our climate and the destruction of these magnificent animals' habitat leads to their extinction as surely as a poacher's bullet.
Our two party system is too entrenched to care about rhinos in Africa. Self interest (i.e. OIL etc.) talks.....our fragile ecosystems are low on the totem pole for the US or the world stage to care about this. Good news story which will create sympathy but in the end its up to world governments to do something not us bloggers typing away here and now.........but I digress.
I wish I could beat the poachers ass for being disrespectful to the Lord's animals. The so called "Asian" superstition is just b.s. so that devils can make a profit. Let me find a poacher in the U.S. and it will be a problem
Let's not forget that all Arab nations also buy the whole horn to turn into a knifes handel. If you have a knife handel made from Rino horn, you are concidered some kind of greatness.
As horrible as it sounds, I think we should just kill all of the rhino right now and get it over with. The current state of things is like pulling off a band aide very slowly. They WILL go extinct. That is a foregone conclusion. It's just a matter of time. If not by poaching, then by human encroachment and development. Better yet. The government should kill all the rhino and collect all of the horn while they can. That way, they could at least tax the distribution and sale of the horn. That's far better than some gang of ecoterrorists making money. There is no room in this world for something beautiful to just exist. Everything is exploitable.
Come on man... we can't give up like that. We must try and stand alone or together for what we know to be right regardless of religion or race or politic. I don't think mean this... you respect beauty and also disdain economic exploitation. I can realte to that... but people trying to make a difference aren't eco-terrorists... they are people like you and me who actualizing. Apathy is toxic to us all so let it go and get in the fight. That's what life is.
I'm thinking a secret, well-guarded animal preserve in North America or northern Europe may be the way to go. Round up as many endangered species as possible to keep the gene pool healthy. If, and it's a BIG IF, the human race ever matures, reintroduce the offspring of these animals to their original range. Or whatever is left of their original range.
Unfortunately killing poachers has been tried again and again with little affect. The key with animal products and a number of other things is to stop the demand. Eliminating poverty and overpopulation in Africa would also help.
It is not the Rhino horn that is a cure for cancer it is their poop! pass this message on to all the Asians and tell them to bring their scoopers
The Asians are taking body parts from these endangered animals thinking they increase sexual prowess or increases health. The rest of the animal eaten by the other animals, birds and insects. The Asians also have had a total disregard for the fishes and life in the oceans and won't be happy until they eat the last fish raw. Sushi sales should be banned in the USA and other nations. Close them down.
Sushi, Raw fish has parasites or worms and must be cooked or frozen before eating, and should be banned along with frogs legs and snails which I am sure do not have any nutritional value. Just snob value.
This is terrible. Somehow these animals have to be protected. They have a right to exist. Maybe someone should go after the end user to and the poachers.
Very simple. African safari's, when these animals dominated the area destroyed this area. Now poachers are killing the remaining animals for false medical ideas.
Want to stop this- open season on poachers with a bounty paid on everyone caught. self policing without incentive is not going to do it. The threat of prosecution without a viligant police force is not going to do it. Get serious about this issue and you can resolve it.
It's time to shoot to kill (the poachers, obviously). They're barbaric and should be treated so.
A little education goes a long way! Stupid people do stupid things!
Oh come on, this is disgusting! I thought they were police or whatever that protect these animals. Are they not doing their jobs? Or they in cahots with these murderers. These poor animals are just trying to live every day and survive. What in the hell is wrong with these people. I feel like going down there and giving some real pain to the people doing this - maybe cut their noses off and see how they feel.....
I'm surprised this hasn't happened before, (or maybe it has!) I'll be watching a wild life feature about an animal nearing extinction, and someone will state how badly the animal was poached and then turn right around and say something stupid like,"yes there are just 85 of these animals left in a small nature reserve located just a few miles north of the border of _______." Hell why not go ahead and furnish them with a gun while you're at it pea for brains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!