Bangkok Star - 18th August
A woman mourns over the body of her deceased husband after he had purchased apparently purposely contaminated Rhino horn on the open market in Bangkok. The source of the contamination is still to be verified but it is thought to be from a private game farm somewhere in southern Africa.
Officials in Thailand are frantic to identify the source, as the powdered horn is sold in miniscule amounts and they have no idea how much has already been distributed thoughout Bankok. Local hospitals are on standby for an unprecendented influx of new cases.
Officials are unable get information as the rhino horn dealers in Bangkok are being unco-operative. They neither want to be fingered as being the provider of the poisoned horn, not do they want to reveal their illegal international sources. It is believed that private game farm owners in southern Africa are colluding between themselves to distribute an effective poison that is harmless to the animals but harmful, or even fatal as in this case, to those that ingest the contaminated horn.
A game farm owner from the North West Province who obviously wishes to remain anonymous, has admitted to using the poison on 4 of his animals. Three of them have shown no side-effects whatsoever 2 months after the poison was injected into the horns. However the 4th rhino was slaughtered and de-horned on a remote part of his farm in the last week of July. When asked to comment on the death in Thailand from suspect poisoned rhino horn, he refused to be drawn into the morals of the farmers joint action. He said that there would be many more cases in the near future as he was personally aware of at least another 5 slaughters of contaminated rhinos in the North West Province alone.
Authorities in South Africa are unable to comment on the "poison" collusion among the game farm owners nor are they able to verify the souce of the contaminated horn.
So what is your view on game farm owners or for that matter South African National parks and other conservation organizations poisoning the horns? People would not be harmed if the horns where not taken illegally in the first place? Is this not the correct type of deterrent? Personally I think it is, drastic times call for drastic measures... Your views would be most welcome?
This is going to cause a stir! Moral or not, Im sticking my head out and saying well done to the farmers! Its drastic, but if it leads to the elimination of rhino poaching, Im all for it!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately these guys will find ways around it and get their rhino horn elsewhere, but I do think it will lead to the protection of our rhino population!
Will SANP do it, I sure as hell hope so!!
It is one life for another and I am not saying that of a human for the sake of an animal. The tourism industry in Africa supports hundreds of thousands of people. It depends on the very existence of the likes of Rhino, Elephant and Lion. To name only three iconic species that currently face grave danger in terms of their own existence.
ReplyDeleteThis latest turn of events within the Rhino poaching saga challenges a number of moral issues. What if Rhino, and other species, were to become extinct due to the belief system of one culture but to the detriment of another culture.
According to the article there could be at least 6 poisoned horns circulating the Asian market. That might equate to 25 kg of contaminated Rhino horn! I would be very careful about what I put up my nose....
The prospect of hundreds or possibly thousands of people dying as result of illegally using animal parts is tragic. I hope the potential users get paranoid and are scared away from their age old tradition. I hope it does not turn the poachers towards the 'clean' populations of Kruger etc...
Now let us put the moral side to one side! If it becomes public knowledge that South Africa does not want their beloved Rhino population being brutally mutilated and you know that we poison the horn and you continue taking it. Well I am afraid to say there are no pills / remedies for stupidity!
Good points around pushing the poachers to cleaner pastures such as Kruger? If SANparks hop on board and announce this measure, whether actually taking the step or not, this will hopefully assist in stemming the demand for the horn and thus filter back down to the source. Supply and demand scenario and you effectively cut of the demand? Any other ideas n what could be done?
ReplyDelete100% Agreed. If its the only way we can stop the tragic death of a majestic animal then I am for it. It is illegal, therefore it should be punishable. If death is the only way that seems to work, so be it.
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