Hello there,
First and foremost happy World Rhino Day!!
Rhinos are amazing and such lovable animals so as we mark World Rhino Day 2017, we thought we should share several facts that you probably didn't know about the Rhinos and several strides made to date to ensure the continued existence of these great creatures.

There are actually five species of these magnificent beasts:the White Rhino, Black Rhino, Indian Rhino and the Javan and Sumatran Rhinoceros. By far the largest, reaching up to 5,000 lbs is the white rhino, characterised by its wide mouth used primarily to graze grass on the plains of Africa. The black rhino is smaller and has more pointed lips so it can browse the prickly bush of the savanna lands.

• Surprising fact - horns are made of compressed hair.
• Horn highly prized for medicinal purposes in the Middle and Far East.
• The cruelty of poaching.

One of the most remarkable features of the rhinoceros is its horn, made surprisingly of coarse hair. Whilst this makes the rhino a powerful and feared adversary and a breath taking sight, the rhino’s horn has in fact been its undoing. Prized for its perceived medicinal qualities in the Far East, the desire to acquire rhino horn has led to unprecedented levels of poaching.
What is being done:

• 24 hour surveillance
• huge security teams with advanced tracking systems
• enormous cost of such operations

Today surviving rhinos need 24 hour protection and surveillance with the use of advanced tracking systems to try and guarantee their survival. With very large amounts of money at stake the odds are most definitely stacked against them.

• Organisation and military type management needed for conservation today
• Generosity and kindness of individuals passionate about conservation
• The role each citizen must play in the stewardship of this planet

Tremendous work is carried out by many wildlife organisations supported by invaluable funding from Governments and Charities and committed, passionate individuals from around the World.
The future success of such initiative and hard work depends largely upon three main areas: education, the protection of the rhino’s natural habitat and securing their safety from their only prey, the poacher. Responsibility rests with each one of us to play our part, however small that might be, in ensuring the safety and ultimately the future of this wonderful animal.
 

Deborah Boyd-Moss

IDEAS & THOUGHTS

On behalf of

PLANET EARTH