Welcome to the October issue of RhiNEWS! New readers can subscribe by sending an email headed 'Subscribe' to francesca@savetherhino.org
Save the Rhino
This month
On September 22 we made a statement that couldn't be ignored on World Rhino Day with a peaceful protest outside the Vietnamese Embassy (in rhino suits of course!). The rest of the world came up with some interesting ideas too, you can read all about the day in the World Rhino Day section below.
The team has been busy sorting out our marathon places for 2012, we've heard from some great runners so far, we're very excited about it already! It seems most of you want to run in rhino costumes, you brave people! See the announcement section below or contact katherine@savetherhino.org.
We also have new dates for Rhino Climb Kilimanjaro, see our events section or contact jo@savetherhino.org for further details.
In the rest of RhiNEWS we have the usual news roundup....
Announcements
Run the London Marathon 2012 for rhinos
Anyone unsuccessful in the 2012 London Marathon Ballot? Apply today for a Gold Bond position to be part of the Save the Rhino marathon team and raise vital funds to support rhino conservation work. Our Gold Bond places are filling up fast and there are only a limited number of rhino costumes available for runners next year. You can apply online by clicking here or by emailing katherine@savetherhino.org for an application form and further information.
New IRKA 2012 rhino calendar Everyone should take a look at the International Rhino Keeper Association (IRKA) rhino calendar, the perfect Christmas present for rhino lovers! This year IRKA held a competition in which 4,090 votes were cast to select the winning photos for the calendar. All proceeds will go towards the IRKA fund, which funds rhino conservation programmes through the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). Calendars are now available to purchase from the Save the Rhino shop for £14.50 (+£3.00 P&P) and will be delivered by the beginning of December. Please click here and scroll to the bottom for further details or email katherine@savetherhino.org
Marjan Centre Conference 18 October - 'Conflict and Conservation’.We would like to draw your attention to a great event happening at the Marjan Centre on 18 October. The centre has assembled a stimulating and experienced panel of speakers, including the leading environmentalist and former diplomat, Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG KCVO, who is also a member of the Marjan Advisory Panel. Other speakers include Dr Azzam Alwash, of NatureIraq, who is repairing the damage caused by Saddam Hussein in the marshes of Iraq; also Brigadier Tom Ogilvie-Graham, head of the British Army’s Veterinary Corps, talking about how the politics of Zimbabwe impacts on a project to save The Painted Dog; and additional speakers from across King’s College and outside.
Location: King’s College Great Hall; 2nd Floor of Strand campus.
Hours: Start 9.30am (doors open 8.30am) till 2pm, with coffee breaks
Entry: Free
Contact: jasper.humphreys@kcl.ac.uk/ or www.marjancentre.org for full details.
World Rhino Day
Nailing the myth about rhino horn On World Rhino Day, Thursday 22 Sept 2011, Save the Rhino International presented the Vietnamese Embassy with a message it could not ignore for World Rhino Day: rhino horn is not medicine. It does not cure anything. You might as well chew your own toe-nails.
Click here for the full story, as well as photos and video clips
The rest of the world was busy on the day too. There were protests, virtual protests, posters, videos, articles and ideas shared across the world. The day was a great success, and we are sure it raised awareness of the rhino poaching issue. There are round ups of World Rhino Day events and interesting discussions on the links below. Comprehensive round-up of all the celebrations to mark World Rhino Day
See the excellent Planet Save round up of events here
Note that Save the Rhino's great photos steal the show! And see Saving Rhinos update here here
Vietnam: NGO called Education for Nature-Vietnam, has joined in the campaign to mark World Rhino Day
Click here to read the full story
Wildlife conservationists in Vietnam are rallying around World Rhino Day, thanks to Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), a local NGO. The organisation launched an online campaign this week on the ENV Volunteer Network page on Facebook©.
Mike 't Sas-Rolfes reflecting on World Rhino Day, and on the economics of supply & demand, and why restricting trade drives up the black market price
Click here to read the full storyThe Percolator reflects on why rhinos continue to be threatened and what might be done to save them in the run up to World Rhino Day.
USA: What Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is doing to celebrate World Rhino Day
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center celebrated World Rhino Day by hosting an art contest for local schoolchildren, and selling the art on September 22nd at Hollywood and Vine restaurant in Glen Rose.
Africa news stories
Kenya: Camera traps at Ol Pejeta Conservancy attract animals' attention, including black rhino cow & calf Click here to read the full storyHighlights have included a herd of elephants and a fearsome rhino that looked about to charge, along with impala, zebras, a giraffe and an oryx. One curious Patas monkey got so close to the lens that it appeared out of focus in the final shot.Kenya: Kenya's draft new Wildlife Bill allows landowners to kill wildlife on their land, without excluding endangered species Click here to read the full storyLeaders in Taita-Taveta County have proposed a number of amendments they want incorporated in the proposed Wildlife Bill before it becomes law.
Kenya: Money-grabbing owners of Mbirikani Group Ranch threaten future of Amboseli & Chyulu Hills Click here to read the full storyThe Kenya Wildlife Service is up in arms over a plan to change one of the largest ranches adjoining Amboseli National Park from an agricultural into an industrial zone.
Ann & Steve Toon
Kenya: Mystery over missing suspect, arrested by KWS on suspicion of intent to poach rhinos at Ol Jogi in Laikipia Click here to read the full storyA judge has directed the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to produce a missing man in court. Justice Fred Ochieng summoned the institution’s company secretary to appear before him on September 22 to explain the whereabouts of the man arrested over poaching on August 15.Kenya: One of the Southern white rhinos introduced to Nairobi National Park has produced a calf Click here to read the full storyThis brings the NNP total to 13 individuals. 10 were translocated from Nakuru NP a few years ago. From 10-20 animals in the early years of the 20th century, there are now 20,170 of this sp. which is Near Threatened.Kenya: Poachers in Kenya apparently being paid US $12,500 per kilo of rhino horn Click here to read the full storyThe high monetary value of rhino horns in the world has resulted in increased poaching in Kenya. In Laikipia district, eight rhinos have been felled by poachers this year with Ol Pejeta Conservancy losing the highest number.Kenya: Problems with the new wildlife bill spells trouble for conservation and rhinosClick here to read the full storyDespite the proposed stringent regulations in the new draft Bill, Africa Review report that 17 prominent conservationists have objected to the entire process of drafting the Policy and Bill which went for stakeholder comments on August 29. Kenya: Video about the life and death of Max, the habituated white rhino at Ol Pejeta Conservancy Click here to see the video and sign their petitionIf you want to see the devastating impact poaching is now having on the rhinos of Africa see this excellent YouTube Link from Ol Pejeta Conservancy and you can sign their petition above.
Tanzania: Tanzania People's Defence Force possibly to be deployed stop poaching & animal smuggling; but sentences are so low in TZ for wildlife crime!Click here to read the full storyThe National Security Council and the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces are developing contingency plans to deploy specially trained troops to the country’s wildlife parks to combat rampant poaching,the EastAfrican has been informed
Kenya: Video footage of two of the Northern White Rhinos (Fatu and Suni) Click here to see the video footageA great video from Old Pejeta Conservancy, love is in the air......
Zimbabwe: Reports that poachers are poisoning waterholes in Zimbabwe's national parksClick here to read the full storyCaroline Washaya-Mayo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Manaagement Authority, was quoted by the Sunday Mail newspaper as saying that waterholes have been contaminated with the unidentified poison at the Gonarezhou, Mana Pools, Zambezi, Charara and Matsudona national parks.Zimbabwe: 3 suspected rhino poachers killed, 2 arrested, 1 escaped, in Chipinge Safari Area in south-east of the countryClick here to read the full storyHarare - Game rangers in Zimbabwe killed three rhino poachers in an exchange of fire in the country's south-east, official media reported Thursday. Zimbabwe: The Chinese connection - blood diamonds and blood horns Click here to read the full storyAfter Mugabe secretly visited the new runway constructed in the diamond fields at the end of February, I set myself the objective of finding out where the money is coming from for all this, said the Editor of the Zimbabwean.
Zimbabwe: Minister of the Environment, Francis Nhema, writes about World Rhino Day Click here to read the full storyZimbabwe has, for the first time in its history, set aside a day to exclusively commemorate the life of the rhino, which faces extinction due to extensive poaching, the world over.Zimbabwe: Govt officials named in Wikileaks cable, implicated in rhino poachingClick here to read the full storyEnvironment Minister Francis Nhema and his mines counterpart Obert Mpofu have been implicated in rhino poaching activities that allegedly involve senior army and parks officials, according to a US diplomatic cable leaked last week.Zimbabwe: Dehorning and ear-notching operations in Save Valley Conservancy in the Lowveld Click here to read the full storyDe-horning days on the rhino ranch of Chishakwe bring up a welter of emotions. There's the need for a professional focus to make sure the job is done right; there's the hot claustrophobia of flying in one of the spotter planes, sweeping the arid Zimbabwe veld for black and white rhino.
Steve & Ann Toon
Zimbabwe: World Rhino Day preparations underway in ZimbabweClick here to read the full storyThanks to efforts by Chishakwe Ranch in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe, children in the neighbouring villages learnt about rhinos and created posters for World Rhino Day. World Rhino Day 2011 co-organizer Lisa-Jane Campbell of Chishakwe Ranch explains the importance of involving local communities in conservation efforts. Namibia: Great article about tracking black rhinos from Grootberg Lodge in #Khoadi-Hoas conservancy, Kunene Region Click here to read the full storyOn a wind chilled April morning, high on the Grootberg Plateau, Wilhelm Christian greets the Dabenoc family from France. Together with trackers Lazarus and Naftali; the group is setting off to look for black rhino in the Klip river valley. We could be in Scotland instead of Namibia, says Steve Felton from WWF Namibia. Namibia: Teamwork to protect rhinos: How the Ministry of E&T, Save the Rhino Trust, MTC & Wilderness Safaris cooperate Click here to read the full storyMinister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said recently: "Poaching will affect your life. Rhino poaching will steal from you and your family. It will rob you financially and spiritually. We are the generation that is the custodians of these, God's remarkable creatures. And we must protect them."
Namibia: Tracking desert-adapted black rhinos in the Kunene Region with Save the Rhino Trust & Wilderness Safaris Click here to read the full storyOne woman heads to Damaraland in north-west Namibia, the only place in the world where the elusive black rhinos live in the wild by Karen Bowerman. "They were an odd couple: A one-armed man with a one-eyed dog. But they were my link to what I was after. I climbed out of the Land Rover to meet them, feeling jaded and a little disgruntled after another day with no sighting".
South Africa: 3-week old rhino calf rescued from tree, where it got stuck after poachers killed its mother, on farm near Pretoria Click here to read the full storyA THREE-WEEK-OLD white rhino calf was trapped for at least eight hours in the fork of a young thorn three after its mother, named Alpha, was shot by poachers on a game farm in Assen, near Pretoria.South Africa: Joya Collection helps in the fight to stop rhino poachingClick here to read the full storyLocal brand Joya has joined Save the Rhino International in their fight against rhino poaching by designing the Save the Rhino collection. South Africa: Murder of eastern European prostitute linked to rhino poaching syndicate Click here to read the full storyOne of South Africa’s top crime bosses allegedly involved in international rhino poaching syndicates – and his brother – are the main suspects in the gruesome murder of an eastern European prostitute. The badly decomposed body of Svetlana “Lana” Marutova, 34, was found at the beginning of this year in a deserted area near the Tswaing Crater north of Pretoria. South Africa: Cash-in-transit heists have dropped in number as rhino poaching has risen, with same hallmarks of the crimesClick here to read the full storyCash-in-transit heists have dropped dramatically over the past year, says a player in the industry, but criminals are now targeting other areas, such as rhino horn poaching and ATM bombings says FM (Johannesburg).
South Africa: Officials from Vietnam and South Africa meet today to discuss clamping down on the illegal tradeClick here to read the full storyJohannesburg - The first draft of a pact between South Africa and Vietnam on stopping the trade in rhino horn will be discussed in Johannesburg on Wednesday (News 24).
South Africa: Report from 2 days of talks between Vietnamese & South African officials about the rhino poaching crisisClick here to read the full storyMore needs to be done to dispel the myth among the Vietnamese that rhinoceros horn can cure cancer, Vietnamese officials said Wednesday after meeting with their South African counterparts about curbing rhino poaching (Washington Post).South Africa: 2011 statistics to date: 287 rhinos killed; 165 suspected poachers arrestedClick here to read the full storyPoachers have killed 287 rhinos in South Africa this year, including 16 critically endangered black rhinos, the World Wildlife Fund reported Wednesday. South Africa: Rhino poached on Mauricedale Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, despite having been dehorned in effort to protect it Click here to read the full storyReturn, a white rhino, is mourning the death of his friend, Russell, a five-year-old bull that was poached this week. South Africa: Foreign investment is converting 20% of farmland over to wildlife reserves, despite the difficulties and costs of dealing with poachingClick here to read the full storyThe National reports that farmland in South Africa is being converted to luxury game preserves, reversing a trend in which wild animals were hunted almost to extinction during the years of white domination.South Africa: Young male white rhino killed at Sabi Sands Game Reserve, near Kruger National ParkClick here to read the full storyCEO of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, Andrew Parker, regretfully announces the discovery of a rhino carcass on their property today. The young male white rhino had one of his horns cut off, allegedly by rhino horn poachersSouth Africa: Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini declares war on rhino poachers at annual Reed Dance at Enkoyeni Palace in KwaZulu-NatalClick her to read the full storyKing Goodwill Zwelithini deviated from his usual royal Reed Dance advice to maidens and once again declared war on rhino poachers in KwaZulu-Natal. Addressing guests and about 3000 maidens at the annual Reed Dance at the Enkoyeni palace in Nongoma. South Africa: 2 poachers killed and 1 wounded and arrested, in shoot-out with rangers in Kruger National Park Click here to read the full storyMbombela - Two suspected poachers were shot dead and one was wounded in a shoot-out with the national defence force in the Kruger National Park, SA National Parks said on Friday.South Africa: 30 white rhinos from iMfolozi Game Reserve to be auctioned on 1 Oct, to manage carrying capacity & generate income for the ParkClick here to read the full storyThirty white rhinos will be auctioned next month at the iMfolozi game reserve, says Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. "The auction is aimed at disposing white rhino that are surplus to the ecological requirements of the various protected areas," Ezemvelo's rhino security strategist Jabulani Ngubane said.South Africa: Argument against PHASA's position (on moratorium on hunting) from a supply & demand point-of-view Click here to read the full detailsCurrently there is talk about banning rhino hunting because basically poaching has reached the point where it is getting ridiculous. The hunting lobbies are anti this because, well, they’re hunters. They like shooting things for fun and profit, Times Live say.
South Africa: Educating government officials, citizens and rhino owners is an important part of rhino protection, says the Endangered Wildlife Trust Click here to read the full detailsEducation could be a potent tool against rhino poaching, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) said on Wednesday.South Africa: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's rhino translocation & breeding strategy praised by scientists Click here to read the full detailsThe conservation efforts and translocation strategy employed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife over the past 40 years to save black rhinoceros in South Africa from extinction, has received a big thumbs up from zoologists at Stellenbosch University. This is at least some good news for these iconic animals that yet again face severe threats from poachers.South Africa: Four rhinos poached this month in KwaZulu-Natal game reserves, bringing KZN total up to 24 this year (289 in S Africa) Click here to read the full detailsThe Mercury on Thursday reported that two white rhino were shot and dehorned in the wilderness section of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park at the weekend. At Ndumo Game Reserve, on the province’s northern border with Mozambique, two rhino – one white, one black, were also killed this month. South Africa: Further comment on the issue around poisoning the horns of live animals Click here to read the full details The environmental jury is out on whether treating a rhino horn with toxic substances is an effective method to curb poaching in South Africa. "If it makes people sick, it will surely make animals sick," the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) said.South Africa: Growing concern as Dawie Groenewald, due in court on rhino poaching charges, allowed to buy rhinos at auction for a third party Click here to read the full storyRhino breeder John Hume on Tuesday said there is nothing unusual about his choice to use controversial game farmer Dawie Groenewald to purchase rhinos worth millions of Rands. Eyewitness News has learned Groenewald bought at least ten rhinos at an auction on Friday worth almost R2.5 million.South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal launches groundbreaking initiative in the fight against rhino poachingClick here to read the full storyProject Rhino reports that as a result of the ever-increasing numbers of black and white rhinos being poached in South Africa, the need to pool resources and co-ordinate activities has resulted in KwaZulu-Natal’s leading conservation agencies joining forces to fast-track urgently needed anti-poaching and conservation interventions. South Africa: More on the call to the SA government to suspend legal hunting of rhinos Click here to read the full storyEnvironment Minister Edna Molewa said last Monday that the government was considering a moratorium on legal rhino hunting, saying illegal hunting and abuse of the permit system might be the main threats to the survival of rhino in the wild in the near future. South Africa: Project Rhino is a coalition of state / community / private partners to tackle the rhino poaching crisis in KwaZulu-Natal Click here to read the full storyAs a result of the ever-increasing numbers of black and white rhinos being poached in South Africa, the need to pool resources and co-ordinate activities has resulted in KwaZulu-Natal’s leading conservation agencies joining forces to fast-track urgently needed anti-poaching and conservation interventions. South Africa: SA police service is helping private rhino owners to get licences for semi-automatic weapons, to protect their rhinos Click here to read the full storyCape Town - The SA Police Service is helping private owners of rhino obtain licences for semi-automatic rifles, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday.South Africa: Sensitivities about rhino poaching incidents mean that press comment now blocked at regional / provincial level Click here to read the full storySkukuza - The office of National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele has banned all provincial and regional police communication officers from commenting on issues concerning rhino poaching.South Africa: Spotlight on SA's failure to tackle rhino poaching Click here to read the full storySources close to investigations into rhino poaching say that several syndicates operate in South Africa, the most ruthless of these striking anywhere, and trading rhino horn and abalone for drugs.South Africa: Thai citizen accused of being kingpin in rhino poaching syndicate refused bail; case postponed until 8 Nov Click here to read the full storyChumlong Lemthongthai, the man accused of being behind a lucrative rhino poaching syndicate, was again denied bail as his case was postponed until November 8 in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on ThursdaySouth Africa: Tragedy in iMfolozi Game Reserve, as member of Anti-Poaching Unit killed in case of mistaken identity Click here to read the full storyAn award-winning Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife game ranger has been killed by his colleagues when an anti-poaching operation ended up in a shootout between two groups of rangers.South Africa: Cow & calf killed by poachers on private game reserve near Brits in NW ProvinceClick here to read the full storyJohannesburg - A rhino and a three-year-old calf have been killed by poachers on a private game farm in Brits in the North West, police said on Thursday.
Swaziland: Second white rhino killed within 4 months; shots heard but poachers get away under cover of nightClick here to read the full storyHLANE – Another female rhinoceros has been poached at Hlane National Park in four months. The white rhinoceros was discovered dead yesterday morning by game rangers. The animal was found dehorned and trails of blood could be visibly seen on the ground showing the distance the animal ran before it fell to the ground.
Asia news stories
Nepal: Rhinos apparently don't like the smell of camomile, so villagers are planting it at the edge of forests to help protect their crops Click here to read the full storyIt can soothe a troubled mind and calm a rebellious gut, but a remote Nepalese forest community has discovered another unlikely use for camomile - it scares away unruly rhinos.Nepal: Greater one-horned rhino found dead in Chitwan National Park - probably due to fighting with another rhinoClick here to read the full storyA rare one-horn rhino has been found dead in Meghauli of Chitwan last night. The rhino was found dead in Bethari Community Forest in Meghauli VDC-8, according to Chitwan National Park.Nepal: A rhino project has been shortlisted for the BBC World Challenge - please vote for it now that voting is openClick here to read the full storyVoting is now open for World Challenge 2011. It closes at midnight on 11 November. You can spend time on the site reviewing all of the 12 Finalists (don't forget to watch the short videos) and then vote for your favourite (one vote per person).
India: Training / sensitization programme in wildlife crime reveals scale of the problem Click here to read the full storyA one day training / sensitization programme on 'Wildlife Crime Control and Investigation for Enforcement Agencies in the State of Manipur' was held at Hotel Imphal during which a detailed report on seizure of animal parts and exotic plants by troops of the Assam Rifles were presented.India: The killing and eating of bushmeat is becoming a problem in Assam and Northeast statesClick here to read the full storyNot all exotic animals whose flesh is consumed in Assam and elsewhere in the Northeast are killed. Many are run over by trains and speeding vehicles - NH37 for instance skirts Kaziranga National Park - while some are bundles of flesh left behind by poachers interested in horn (rhino), tusk (elephant), hide (tiger, leopard and deer), bile (bear) or musk (deer) says the Hindustan Times.
India: The controversial shoot-to-kill policy for poachers in Kaziranga National Park, AssamClick here to read the full storyWhat does India’s lush Kaziranga National Park have that the rest of the country’s decimated reserves do not ask Outside Magazine? Plenty of tigers, for starters. (The world’s highest density.) Fleets of endangered one-horned rhinos. India: Another rhino death in Kaziranga National Park, Assam Click here to read the full storyThe Times of India report that Kaziranga National Park has been losing one-horned rhinos one after the other since the past one month. China: Useful Wikipedia page on the history of rhinos in China, though doesn't talk about China's role in their decline nowClick here to read the full storyThe existence of rhinoceroses in ancient China is attested both by archaeological evidence and by references in ancient Chinese literature. Depictions of rhinoceroses in ancient Chinese art are typically very accurate and lifelike, suggesting that they were modelled first-hand by the artist on living rhinoceroses rather than being based on legend or traveller's tales.Singapore: Claim that traders in illegal wildlife products are using the internet & post service to smuggle items including rhino hornClick here to read the full storyIn a correspondence via email, a Channel NewsAsia reporter contacted a seller, allegedly based in Singapore, who claimed to be able to ship the horns over in two days.Vietnam: How easy it is to obtain rhino horn at TCM shopsClick here to read the full storyTo the Thanh Nien Weekly reporter posing as a customer looking for rhino horn to treat his father’s cancer, Nhung (last name not given) said: “I can get an Asian horn right away for you just with a phone call. But if you want an African one, you have to wait.”
Thailand: The country's involvement in rhino poaching neatly summarisedClick here to read the full storyLocal prostitutes conscripted by gangs to pose as hunters are at the centre of an alleged Southeast Asian smuggling network that South African authorities are scrambling to stop, reports the Bankok Post.Seizure in Thailand confirms the country is becoming one of the major conduits for wildlife product traffickingClick here to read the full storyThai authorities have seized nearly 3,000 rare animals in the biggest wildlife trafficking bust reported in the Southeast Asian country this year, listen to PresenterNasya Bahfen report on ABC Radio Australia.
Malaysia: Update on Sumatran rhino conservation efforts in Sabah Click here to read the full storyBora Borneo Alliance Update July 2011 - The critical job of caring for and monitoring the health of the two captive rhinos presently in Tabin – male Tam and female Gelogob, continues, headed by BORA’s Field Manager Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin.
Ian Anderson
Indonesia: News on Javan rhino conservation effortsClick here to read the full storyUjung Kulon National Park's newly established Javan Rhino Conservation Working Group is expanding a programme to eradicate Langkap (Arenga obtusifolia). Indonesia: Indonesian President vows to spend his last 3 years in post protecting the country's rainforests & the rhinos, orang-utans & tigers that inhabit them Click here to read the full storyIndonesia’s President has vowed to dedicate the last three years of his administration to safeguarding his nation’s rainforests - a pledge that received broad support at a major conference in Jakarta.
Indonesia: Asian Pulp & Paper mocked and criticised for its "support" for rhino conservation Click here to read the full storyThe following is a commentary from Elfian Effendi, Director of Greenomics, an Indonesian NGO. Effendi's views are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of mongabay.com. "The slideshow titled "APP: Establishing the Facts" would indeed be laughable if they were not so sad". Asia: The Sumatran rhino in folklore in Myanmar, Malaysia and IndonesiaClick here to read the full storyHalf a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals. The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history!
World news stories
Misc: UNEP lists save the rhino campaign on their creative gallery Click here to read the full storyThe campaign highlights the current rhinoceros poaching crisis in southern Africa. Its message is that Africa would not be the same without its rhinos. Misc: Summary of the thefts of rhino horn, stockpile security & issues around rhino horn export permits Click here to read the full storyThe number of thefts of rhino horn exhibits from museums and private premises has increased dramatically over the last three years say Humane Society International.
Lowveld Rhino Trust
Misc: Some of the rhino population figures are wrong but otherwise this video "Rhino Wars" is excellent - please watch! Click here to watch the video
A great video written and produced by Melinda MacInnis.Misc: Rhino trophy mount fetches record price at taxidermy auction in the USAClick here to read the full story"We’re in the middle of a crazy new war on rhinos. My report from South Africa doesn’t come out in Smithsonian Magazine for another month or so. So in the meantime, here’s a report from the current Atlantic about how a price of more than $100,000 for the horns of a single rhino has brought the madness even to such unlikely destinations as Moberly, Mississippi" says Malcolm Gay of Strange Behaviours. Misc: Research shows rhinos not as myopic as previously thought Click here to read the full storyFrom Visual Neuroscience: While this resolution is one-tenth that of humans (60 cycles/deg) and less than that of the domestic cat (9 cycles/deg), it is comparable to that of the rabbit (6 cycles/deg), and exceeds that seen in a variety of other mammals ..... Thus, the reputation of the rhinoceros as a myopic, weakly visual animal is not supported by our observations of the retina.
Misc: Oldest cave drawings (36,000 yrs ago) in Central & Eastern Europe found in Bihor, Romania, include head of a rhino Click here to read the full story
The oldest cave drawings in Central and Eastern Europe were found in Romania, in Coliboaia cave, in Bihor county.
Misc: More on the story about using DNA retrieved from the carcasses of animals that have been poached to catch the criminalsClick here to read the full storyA new test allows investigators to analyze even trace amounts of human DNA found on slaughtered animals and track down those responsible. "Our research has picked up DNA at very low levels and could be a significant breakthrough in wildlife crime," said Shanan Tobe.
Misc: Interview for ABC in Australia on the CITES standing committee meeting in August Click here to listen to Cathy Dean's radio interview
"Most species of rhino are regarded as threatened and some are critically endangered. They still live in the wild in parts of Africa, India and Asia. But they're often hunted for their horns, which some people - especially in Asia - believe can cure cancer. Now, there's a renewed call for international call for trade in rhino horns to stop."
Misc: Great discussion of the issues around legalising the trade in rhino horn, trophy hunting etc & the pros & cons involved Click here to read the full storyGame rancher John Hume paid about US$200000 for three pairs of endangered black rhino from the KwaZulu Natal wildlife department in June 1996. Today, he is probably the largest private rhino farmer in the world reports the Financial Mail.
Misc: Fauna & Flora International's Oryx magazine on the failure of law enforcement systems to protect charismatic species Click here to read the full story"In spite of significant recent advances in understanding how to conserve species we are failing to conserve some of the most beloved and charismatic, with severe population losses, shrinking ranges and extinctions of subspecies" writes Elizabeth L. Bennett.
Misc: Excellent blog on the lack of progress made at the CITES meeting re rhino poaching and demand from East Asia Click here to read the full storyConservationists were left feeling unsettled about the future of rhinos after the CITES’ (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) meeting in Geneva last week, writes Rachel Nuwer. Misc: Different methods of bringing endangered species - inc. the white rhino - back from the brink of extinction Click here to read the full storyABC Environment "Human interaction with endangered species isn't always a death sentence for the animals. With careful coaxing and vigilance, some species have been brought back from the edge of extinction to thrive once again".Misc: 3.6 million-year-old fossil of a woolly rhino found on Tibetan plateau Click here to read the full storyA woolly rhino fossil dug up on the Tibetan Plateau is believed to be the oldest specimen of its kind yet found.
Misc: rhino horn thefts from European museums & the arrest of 2 Australians for smuggling horn in PortugalClick here to read the full story
Brussels' Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is on the list of European museums targeted by thieves in search of rhino horn
Prehistoric etchings of rhinos & other species made by children 13,000 years agoClick here to read the full storyPrehistoric etchings found in a cave in France are the work of children as young as three, according to research. Archaeologist Jessica Cooney told the BBC's David Sillito that the most prolific artist was a five-year-old girl.
UK: ZSL Whipsnade is attempting artificial insemination of one of its female Southern white rhinosClick here to read the full story
An assortment of specialist scanners, probes and other paraphernalia are carefully laid out, ready for action. But unlike the kit used for most medical procedures, everything here is on a supersized scale. The reason? Scientists are about to examine two southern white rhinos at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.
UK: Londoners in search of alternative remedies are helping fuel the trade in illegal wildlife products, say police
An illegal trade in traditional Chinese medicine using ingredients from endangered species is being fuelled by Londoners obsessed with alternative therapies, a police expert warns today.
UK: Linton Park Wines appoints a UK agent, and SRI benefits Click here to read the full story"The belief (held) by millions of people in China and Vietnam that the horn has medical properties is very deep-seated and has been for thousands of years," Dr Player said yesterday. "This belief will not be changed by rational arguments ….The debate is necessary so that (Environment Minister Edna) Molewa can make an informed decision," he said.
UK: if you've never seen a rhino attempt the long jump before... Click here to see Adam in actionAdam Brown from Save the Rhino competes against other mascots in the long jump dressed as a Rhino at Crystal Palace stadium in London to raise funds for the UK's first Olympic sport based charity Gold Challenge.
UK: Behind-the-scenes look at ZSL Whipsnade's Greater one-horned rhino house - recycled water, solar panels etc Click here to see the video clip
An interesting behind the scenes look at the Greater one-horned rhino house.
UK: Another rhino horn theft, this time from Drusillas Zoo near Brighton, during opening hours
A rare black rhino horn has been stolen from a locked conservation cabinet at a zoo in East Sussex. Drusillas Park in Alfriston had the artefact on display as part of an education exhibit.
Mark Carwardine
UK: 20 responses from the public after BBC Crimewatch features the theft of rhino horn from museum in Haslemere
Several new leads are being followed up by police investigating the theft of a rhinoceros head from a Surrey museum. Detectives have received about 20 calls, texts and emails since an appeal on the BBC's Crimewatch programme.
UK TCM practitioner speaks out against the use of rhino horn
Click here to read the full storyThe Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) in the UK has issued a statement condemning the use of rhino horn in Chinese medicine. Saving Rhinos wrote "We applaud this action and have posted key excerpts from the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine‘s statement entitled “The RCHM condemns continued use of rhino horns”:Ireland: The Irish gang that has allegedly been robbing European museums & auction houses for rhino hornClick here to read the full storyEUROPEAN police have issued an alert about an Irish organised crime gang involved in the global sale of stolen rhinoceros horns, the Irish Examiner reports.
Germany: Excellent work by sniffer dogs at Frankfurt Airport - they've caught all sorts of illegal wildlife product smugglers
Several years ago the German office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) contacted customs at Frankfurt with the idea of using dogs to find wildlife contraband. "They hesitated a little bit because it was something new," said Birgit Braun, a project coordinator at WWF. "But then on the other hand they were excited and said it should be possible."USA: Asian buyers paying fortunes for rhino horn trophy mounts at auction in USA, but are not allowed to export them legallyClick here to read the full storyBy the time I pulled in at the Super 8 in Moberly, Missouri, the parking lot was thick with muddy trucks. In fact, the young clerk told me, the motel was full—she’d just rented her last room to a lady with a sloth (By Malcolm Gay).
World: 2 Australians arrested when caught trying to smuggle a pair of rhino horns on flight from Portugal to Ireland
Portuguese authorities arrested two Australian men over attempts to smuggle six pieces of rhinoceros horns valued at $538,000.
And Finally: An advert for taxidermy that's so bad it's funny
Click to see the ad for yourselfChuch Testa, who comes across as vibrant and "alive" as the stuffed animals he's holding, is the star of the commercial and he is a hoot.
Save the Rhino events
Rhino Rally at Knowsley Safari Park
SRI Director Cathy Dean and former staff member Cath Lawson headed to Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside in August, for a weekend of rhino fun. Knowsley’s staff and volunteers had organised a marquee-full of quizzes, tombolas, pin-the-horn-on-the-rhino games and badge making activities, with private safaris to get up close to Knowsley’s crash of white rhinos and a rhino run for entrants in and out of rhino costume around the Park. In total, the event raised nearly £6,000 for the Lowveld Rhino Trust in Zimbabwe, one of the field programme supported by Save the Rhino, to add to the £6,000 previously donated by the Park. We would like to thank everyone at Knowsley for their fantastic support for rhino conservation – and hope to get a couple of the keepers out to visit the Lowveld before too long.
Rhino Climb Kilimanjaro – new dates announced!
2 – 11 Feb 2012; and 27 Sept – 6 Oct 2012
Very excitingly, we now have set dates for our Kili climb - so whether you’re climbing individually or as a group, you can be sure to be climbing with other like-minded rhino fans. Included in the trip is a very special and unique visit to the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary, where you will be taken behind the scenes with the legendary Tony Fitzjohn OBE to see where the funds you have raised will be spent. Click here for more information or contact jo@savetherhino.org
PechaKucha Wild!
Wednesday 16 November
Mark Worsfold
Not long to go now until our annual fundraising dinner – PeckaKucha Wild! at London Zoo. Clive Anderson will be introducing Louis Theroux, Ken Livingstone, Richard Terry and Richard Bonham as our speakers. Some exciting auction prizes include a restaurant review with Giles Coren and a rhino darting experience in South Africa – where the winner will take part in a darting operation, including helicopter time and helping to fit GSM transmitters into the rhino’s horn.
Click here for more information or contact jo@savetherhino.org.
Rhino Trek South Africa
6 – 13 May 2012
Places are going quickly for our Rhino Trek South Africa trip. This is a once-in-a-life chance to trek rhinos on foot, while ambling your way through two of South Africa’s most stunning reserves. Learn the skills of a tracker, take a turn on night
watch and end the trip with a safari to see more of Africa’s wildlife. This is a truly special experience that you’ll never forget. Click here for more details or contact jo@savetherhino.org.
Corporate partners
New Partnership launched to mark World Rhino Day!
www.bundudesigns.com
Bundu Designs has teamed up with Save the Rhino International and a group of Zimbabwean wire artisans, to highlight the plight of the Black Rhino in Zimbabwe. The partnership was launched on World Rhino Day on September 22, a worldwide awareness campaign highlighting the crisis that so many species of rhino's are facing. The artisans designed a very beautiful beaded Black Rhino. $10 from every rhino sold will be donated to SRI, (price $75 CAD / approx. £47 shipping is international). The rhinos measure 12" L x 7" H x 2" W. The goal of this partnership is to sell 431 beaded rhinos – one for every remaining black rhino in Zimbabwe. Funds raised will support the teams on the ground, providing them with much needed support, equipment and training through Save the Rhino International, whilst also creating sustainable employment for Zimbabwean crafters.
Victor Stationery
www.victorstationery.com Victor Stationery's flagship brand, RHINO continues to lead the way in a major awareness and fundraising campaign across the UK in support of Save the Rhino. The partnership continues to boost our conservation work through substantial financial support and by having added the slogan "Buying Rhinos Saves Rhinos" to every new product. Check out their great range today! Buy online via Amazon.
Programme grants in August
Grants given in August:
We sent £3,055 to IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group from core funds. The first of two installments which will be used towards the core running costs of the Secretariat, support which is as vital as ever during the current rhino poaching crisis.
£1,839 went to the Lowveld Rhino Trust in Zimbabwe. The funds went towards locally incurred costs during the most recent exchange visits, where field teams from both Chyulu Hills Game Scout and Rhino Programme in Kenya, and from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Namibia, visited the Lowveld Rhino Trust in order to share best practice and information on rhino monitoring and anti-poaching measures. This was made possible by a grant from US Fish & Wildlife Service.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Namibia received £1,164 which went towards accessories for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), including wing items, fuselage items, landing gear, engine cowling, engine temperate sensors, protective case for wings, flight stand, and flight simulator. This was made possible with the remaining funds of a grant from Opel Zoo.
Finally £2,000 was sent to Silver Jungle which was made possible with a grant from the Simon Gibson Charitable Trust.
Go to www.savetherhino.org for more information about Save the Rhino, and details of how you can support us. New readers can subscribe by emailing info@savetherhino.org. Unsubscribe by emailing the same address.Save the Rhino International16 Winchester WalkLondonSE1 9AQwww.savetherhino.org
Save the Rhino works to conserve viable populations of Critically Endangered rhinos in Africa and Asia. We recognise that the future of wildlife is inextricably linked to the communities that share its habitat. By funding field projects and through education, our goal is to deliver material, long-lasting and widespread benefits to rhinos and other endangered species, ecosystems and to the people living in these areas.
Disclaimer: Save the Rhino International's aim with this newsletter is to enhance access to information about rhino conservation around the world. The newsletter is produced in good faith and we hope that all information contained within it is timely and accurate. However, the charity accepts no responsibility or liability with regard to the content, and urges anyone reproducing information from it to contact the original sources before doing so.