Walker, C.H., 1994. Rhinos in Africa - the present situation.: pp. 1-3
 | In: Penzhorn, B.L. et al. Proceedings of a symposium on rhinos as game ranch animals. Onderstepoort, Republic of South Africa, 9-10 September 1994: pp. i-iv, 1-242 |
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| Location: |
Africa |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Reasons for decline |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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Why have we in Africa allowed this to happen? The answer is not that simple and even less simple when trying to pin the blame on 1,2 billion faceless individuals in the East who frankly have never seen a rhino and in most respects are totally oblivious of its existence. There is no need, however, for the arrogance of the West to blame them entirely for the rhino's demise, seeking as we do to treat the cause and not the symptom.
The Chinese have been using rhino products for thousands of years. We in the West instituted the ban nineteen years ago, refusing to seek meaningful solutions by talking to the consumers. Yes, a great deal of money has been spent in trying to ban the trade and encouraging substitutes. If your child was desperately ill and rhino horn medicine balls helped, would you seek a substitute in the face of risking your child's life? We in Africa applied the only method we knew. We threw up rings of steel in ever-determined efforts to prevent poaching and we even reached the point where people lost their lives in the effort to halt the onslaught. The winds of change throughout Africa since the sixties embodied in affirmative action, corruption, greed and mismanagement set the stage which brought the black rhino down to catastrophic levels. To be honest, the problem was right on our doorstep. The demand was there. We did not meet it, the middlemen stepped in, the price rose enormously and the rest is history.
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Rhinos in Africa - the present situation.
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