Editor’s Note: Our rhinos, our heritage

IT aptly represents the tough ‘bush’ environment and rugged landscape of Zululand, as well as the strength and perseverance of the people who live here.

For years, many sports bodies have used the rhino on their badge, while many companies have a rhino as their logo.

The rhino survived near-extinction in the 1960’s, when a handful of people under the legendary Dr Ian Player successfully won the battle not only to save the rhinos in Zululand game reserves but to ‘export’ them to other places to ensure their survival.

On Sunday, World Rhino Day, local and international attention was being focused on this majestic beast.

Tuesday this week is Heritage Day, from which the plight of the rhino is inseparable.

Figures released on Sunday indicate that 688 rhinos have already been killed by poachers in South Africa this year, more than the entire number (668) slaughtered in 2012.

With the annual number of rhino deaths expected to soon exceed the number of births, the situation is critical.

The fight is being fought on many fronts, including trying to educate the people of countries where the rhino horns are being used, either for medicinal or ornamental purposes.

There is also warfare in the trenches, a literal shootout between rangers and poachers.

Removal of horns from living animals, or having them poisoned to make them unfit for human consumption is also being practised, while a massive effort is being made to allow the legal trading of rhino horn.

In theory, the many thousands of tons of horn in storage will flood the market, drop prices and make poaching non-profitable.

So far, there is no evidence the slaughter will stop.

It may be that the next generation will win the war.

Judging by the attitude of the youth of southern Africa, who have embraced anti-rhino poaching campaigns with a passion, they will not tolerate poachers in their midst.

By providing information on poachers living in their communities, authorities can take the appropriate action.