Saving White Rhinos by Stopping Poaching

Philosophers, environmentalists, and wildlife conservation groups have in the recent past strived to seek measures to curb white rhinos as an extinct species. The white rhinos have been faced away due to poaching and climate change. There are about 20, 405 southern white rhinos with six living northern white rhinos in the world. The northern white rhinos have been relocated to Kenya to boost their breeding due to climate changes in their original habitats in the  Czech.

Human beings are a threat to the white rhinos due to their costly horns and the booming ivory trade in countries like China.

This paper will evaluate the extent to which poaching has reduced the number of white rhinos. The paper presents a review of ecology and biology and a discussion of the current trends in the white rhino population. Furthermore, the paper describes the conservation programs and the methods used to prevent the extinction of white rhinos in the world. Thus, white rhinos are becoming extinct, and it is a mystery that environmentalists should focus on and provide viable solutions.

The primary contemporary threat to the white rhinos is uncontrolled poaching. People have taken advantage of the lucrative business in China and other countries for rhino products. The white rhino horn has a high value because it is made of keratin. Poachers target white rhino horns because of their large sizes. Their horns are like fingernails and s thus grow throughout their life. The horncanto regrow even after dehorning. The horns are known for their medicinal purposes as welasor aesthetic purposes.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses the horns widely in the Asian market for its medicinal purposes (Kmoisar, 1991). TCM uses the horns in the treatment of illnesses such as epilepsy, flu, and severe skin burns. There is no substitute chemical to help in the manufacturing of medicine used to treat these illnesses. It is thus very difficult to create cultural measures in constituting policies to reduce the high demand for white rhino horns.

In Asia and other parts of the world, modern fabrications and aesthetics rely on rhino horns. Rhino horns are for instance used to make dagger handles in Middles East countries, Oman, and Yemen (Owen-Smith, 1984). The consumers of the old dagger explain that the handles develop translucent appeal. More so, after several years, the handle may develop a patina retaining its durability. Thus, the market demand for ancient daggers is high, and the supply should increase leading to hunting for rhinos. The older daggers are more expensive in East Asia and confer high status and respect to the owners. The ceremonial dagger users are now using products from fresh rhinohorns whicht has become a trend in the Asian countries.

In the 21st-century, the white rhino population has greatly reduced in various parts of the world. In 1960, there were about 2,230 white northern rhinos in the three different countries.

However, in 1984, the number of northern white rhinos reduced to fifteen in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On the other hand, the southern whrhinoinos are a special breed and the greatest conservation of the 20th century. The number of the animals was reduced to 20 animals in 1895 after a group of Europeans hunted the animals due to their meat and for sport. However, the number rebounded to 5,000 animals in the early 1900s. In 2005, there were 14, 550 white rhinos reflecting a 92% increase sfrom1990(Geraads et al., 2012). The anannualrowth rate of the white rhinos in 2005 was 6.8%. Despite the encouraging trends of white rrhinogrowth, there are only six living northern white rhinos today. The environmentalists have resolved to reintroduce the animals to their natural habitats. Managing rhinos is very expensive and requires stable economic and political environments. The poachers have taken advantage of the weak political grounds in some countries to eexexpand theirties. Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are the only range states that harbor white rhinos. However, management of the white rhinos is risky as the CITES relies on information from other legislative bodies to provide the actual status of the animals (Sas-Rolfes, 2009). The organization also lacks the mandate to execute global legislation, but it relies on domestically implemented laws.

The fight against poaching and reviving the stability of the white rhino population faces a myriad of challenges. The consumer markets of white rhino horns are reluctant to help salvage the issue.

Yemen and China are the leading consumers of rhino horns. The two countries once legalized business in rhino products. This implies that there is a stockpile of rhino products such as meat and horns in the market. The two states have now established hed ‘gray market’ due to the imminent conditions. There is a mixture of new and old and legally obtained rhino horns in the market. The new horns get mixed with the old horns since the states have not put in place bans on possession of unregistered existing stocks (Houck et al., 1994). The urge from international environmental organizations to impose rules on nations to conserve and safeguard the lives of rhinos, Yemen, and China has not adhered to the effectiveness of such laws.

The fight against illegal poaching and distribution of white rhino products faces several setbacks. White rhinos without a doubt are an endangered species. Various economic, social, and Econo, mic factors explain why the species is endangered, and efforts to curb its impacts are not enough. Human beings areae a major threat to the animals just like climate change.

However, controlled habitats have been proved to work and promote the feeding of animals. Uncontrolled poaching is reducing the numbers at an alarming rate. It is also difficult to cater to the animals if the country lacks a stable economic and political base. A weak political base provides avenues that the hunters use to get access to animal products. The animals are also at risk due to the ready market in Yemen and China for its products. The international policies on conservation are also hindered by the diversified cultural and legal framework of countries on conserving rhinos. Thus, rhinos are extinct animals and the demand for its product is making them an endangered species.

References

1. Houck, M. et al. (1994). Diploid chromosome number and chromosomal variation in the white rhinoceros. The Journal of Heredity, 85(1):30–34. Sas-Rolfes, M. (2009).
2. Saving African rhino. Perc Case Studies. Kmoisar, L. (1991). The new feminism. New York: Franklin Watts. Saxton, R. (2007). Animal Legal and historical center. Michigan: Michigan State University College of Law. Owen-Smith, N. (1984).
3. Macdonald, D., ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. Geraads, D. et al. (2012). A New Rhinoceros, Victoriaceros kenyensis gen. et sp. nov., and Other Perissodactyla from the Middle Miocene of Maboko, Kenya. Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 19:57.