Today in South Africa a Vietnamese man was arrested with 10 Rhino Horns and about R20m in cash in a house in our suburbs in Johannesburg. Police believe this is one of the biggest busts ever and hopefully we can get rid of these idiots who think Rhino Horn is Viagra.

Yours on Safari
Mark

RIP to the 10 rhinos. Life in prison to the person behind these killings.

An arrest is good news.

Kruger anti-poaching guards seem to be very aggressive as well. Latest news, one poacher dead, two arrested. Unfortunately cow and calf dead. Last week an anti-poaching guard was killed but poacher killed as well.

I am sick over all of this violence and unnecessary deaths of animals and humans. The horns would grow back and they'd have an almost unlimited supply if the poachers didn't kill them or leave them to bleed out by hacking their horns out. Sick.

A baby rhino refuge was just announced at Entabeni to raise the mommy-less rhinos they find. They lost a rhino last year to poachers. The owners have taken incredible measures to protect those remaining.

Mark - it's not Viagra. It's a prevetion and cure for cancer in Vietnam, and to a lesser extent in China.

More elephants are being poached, too. With globalization, there's more money, more access, more corruption....

Were it no more than 10 rhinos. I read something in Mail and Guardian, a weekly S. African paper, that put the number at 210 poached in SA this year, 127 of them from Kruger. Truly sad.

christabir
I honestly did not know that, thanks for the enlightenment. The newspapers keep mentioning medicinal value but do not mention what.

Anyway scientists have proved that the horn has absolutely no medicinal value what-so-ever.

Problem though is the syndicates will just replace the arrested man with another one...unfortunately an ongoing battle.

Yours on Safari
Mark

Mark - I just read an article that young people in Asia are using powdered rhino horn to prevent hangovers!! The disgusting poaching of these magnificent creatures must not be making the news there.

The Javan Rhino is extinct as of 2010 - due to poaching.

sdb2 - those 210 are just the ones they have found.

Rhino horn = Viagra
Rhino horn = cure for cancer
Rhino horn = prevent hangovers
Rhino horn = what's next?

... thank goodness, the kids in the States are only overdosing and killing themselves with 'oxy', OTC cough syrups and recently heard 'hand sanitizer'.

Irrespective of what it is these guys HAVE TO BE STOPPED. The reason I posted here is because we need to get as much publicity as possible to halt this scourge, and that probably will not help much but its worth a try.

Whatever it is STOP these people from killing our Rhino, PERIOD!

Yours on Safari
Mark

chritabir
Hopefully when you graduate your Mom will bring you to Africa.

Mark

Mark - she's not taking us, but right now my husband and I are trying to find availability in Kruger! Very limited, but in the northern part there is better availability because of a national holiday (Women's Day, I believe). Holding thumbs we can work it out.

Just a slight correction---the last remaining Javan Rhino in Vietnam was poached. There are still some Javan Rhinos left in Ujon Kulon NP in Western Javan...this video shows almost all of the remaining rhinos caught on camera trap...I hate to hear of any rhino deaths as they are my favorite animals....living prehistoric creatures...

http://www.rhinoconservation.org/201...-in-one-video/

If you are in the US, there is a special on the exotic animal trade on CNBC tonight at 8 Eastern. I won't be watching, but it likely to be eye-opening to some. It may be available online.

christabir
Tried to reach out to you and help you but I seriously don't know where these moderators come from as they deleted my post. Reminds me of the film "One flew over the Cuckoos Nest" with Jack Nicholson.
How simply so ridiculous.
Not for me anymore, there are much better platforms than Fodors.
Cheers!

Unfortunately we waited one say too long and the cheap airfare disappeared. We had a good plan worked out, but the sale ended Monday. Bummer. Thanks for trying, Mark.