Two more rhinos gunned down by poachers in South Africa this week

The slaughter of South Africa's rhinos continues unchecked. At least two more white rhinos fell under poachers' guns this week and their horns were removed. As many as 300 rhinos may have been felled in South Africa over the past 20 months. The following account about the latest atrocities is compiled from reports from the South African media, News24.com (Beeld) and the Zululand Observer, and a blog post by Rhishja Larson, founder and Program Director of Saving Rhinos LLC.

Two white rhinos were poached for their horns in South Africa this week, according to South African news reports and conservation organizations.

A male white rhino was struck down viciously on Wednesday morning by poachers armed with an AK-47 assault rifle. The bold attack reportedly occurred close to Masinda Camp in the iMfolozi Game Reserve--a place that is world famous for its successful restoration and conservation of the white rhino.

The rhino's body--with both horns sliced off--was discovered shortly after 9 a.m. by park rangers. Although the rhino was murdered close to staff living quarters, the poachers were not seen or heard, according to the Zululand Observer newspaper.

According to information received from Tim Condon of the Zulu Wildlife eForum, this was the 14th rhino to die at the hands of poachers in South Africa KwaZulu-Natal province this year. He believes this latest atrocity is the work an organized poaching syndicate

On Wednesday night, a rhino cow was shot dead presumably with an R5 assault rifle near Roedtan in Limpopo province, the newspaper Beeld reported on its website. Her hamstrings and horns were chopped off with an axe.

"This brought the amount of rhino that had been killed by poachers since the beginning of last year to 300. This year, 178 rhinos have already been killed countrywide," Beeld reported.

These numbers included the poached rhino and the calves that died after the mothers were killed.

Captain Herman Lubbe of the Modimolle police's cattle theft unit said the cow that had been poached in Roedtan, was 40 years old and her horn was 93cm [3 feet] long, Beeld reported.

The rhino had been shot several times.

"It looked like it could be the work of a professional hunter."

Faan Coetzee, head of the Rhino Security Project at the Endangered Wildlife Trust said the bull that was poached in KwaZulu-Natal was killed with one shot to the head, Beeld added.

"It looked like it could be the work of a professional hunter," Beeld added. "The animal's horns were sawn off with precision. It means the horns were sawn off right at the nose," said Coetzee.

Anyone with information about the Roedtan case should call Lubbe on 084 515 6925.

Condon has requested that anyone with information about the KwaZulu Natal case please contact him via the Zululand Wildlife eForum on Facebook.

Killing rhinos for traditional 'medicines'

Use of rhino horn in traditional medicines in China and Vietnam is the greatest threat to rhinos today. The unwavering demand for rhino horn from these two countries is responsible for the escalation of illegally killed rhinos and laundered rhino horns from trophy hunts.

Although scientific analysis has confirmed that rhino horn actually contains no medical properties, persistent cultural myths claim that rhino horn is a "cure" for fever, anxiety, boils--and even "devil possession."

Rhinos are hunted down orimarily for their horn, which, although made of a substance like finger nails, is thought to have magical powers, But the reality is:

                                   
                                      "Rhino horn: All myth, no medicine"

 
Source: Nat Geo News Magazine