.... yet still a light is shining; The Rhino's fight for survival in an ever greedy world

In the face of a despicable and unimaginable human act of cruelty a light is still shining for two rhino's who were poached on Friday 2nd March 2012. A cow and bull remain in critical condition at Kariega game reserve South Africa after being poached for their horns. Tragically the third rhino, a bull, died from his horrific injuries during the course of the night. The rangers came across the unfortunate animals the next morning and now Kariega is trying everything possible to help save these remarkable creatures. Kariega is a place I hold dear to my heart having done volunteer work there last year. I had an experience of a life time and can say that everyone involved in Kariega, from the managers to the rangers are next to none. The rangers are so passionate and are ambassadors for wildlife conservation in Africa and are faced with tough decisions daily, my respect really goes out to these amazing people. I had the chance to work with all these people including the ground team and the vet who are equally humbling. The ground team are the people that essentially go in after an animal had been sedated in the field for purposes of vet care or movement, they work incredibly long hours and are really brave. The vet is one of the most compassionate and inspiring people working in this field, his descions must be incredibly tough and the dedication is just admirable and difficult to put into words but I am sure anyone who has met him feels the same. His touching updates on the Kariga facebook page really show how much he cares. Thanks to these people the rhino's, nicknamed Thandiswa and Themba two Xhosa names meaning courage and hope, have a light still shining for them. I don't think many people may realise just how extensive and life threatening the facial injury's for the poached rhino are, it really is a miracle they are still alive and fighting for their lives. The bull also has a badly damaged leg, I suspect due to falling awkwardly after being darted with a sedative. Whilst at Kariega I had the wonderful honor of seeing these very rhino's in the wild many times during my stay. The experience of seeing any wild animal up close is always humbling and seeing the rhino's really was awe-inspiring. Up close the look formidable almost like they are wearing a coat of armour yet there is something endearingly soft and touching about these animals that is hard to describe and fills me with despair at the thought that anyone could inflict such awful pain on them.

How a fellow human being could do such a thing is literally beyond me, I just do not understand how anyone could inflict such pain and suffering onto another animal. Yet again the answer in this world lies in money which lines greed. Sadly Africa is a very poor continent and many people are forced to survive but these poachers may almost certainly be people who are making a lot of money from this, they fly in by helicopter, they have dart guns and the darts which contain a very strong and dangerous opioid called M99. Don't get me wrong I do not think anything including poverty and desperation justifies the cruelty and waste of such a pointless and violent act. I do not know a great deal about who these poachers are so I can not really comment further but if you are reading this and do please comment? What I do know is that the reason that these rhino's are being poached is ridiculous and comes down to a myth. The demand for rhino horn comes from the use of it in Asian medicine. People believe that is has healing powers and that it is also an aphrodisiac. Scientists have proved there is no evidence to support this claim and that rhino horn is simply made out of the stuff our fingernails are made of. Seems to utterly stupid that two beautiful animals are suffering so badly for this and another is lost.

The rhino poaching problem for South Africa is crucial they are losing rhino's almost on a daily basis. It is not a far fetched prospect that these animals do face extinction at the face of man. I am so happy i spent time with these rhino's in the wild and i can only hope that the next generation will be able to do the same. What is the answer? I simply do not know, Kariega actually 'trimmed' the horns down of the rhino's in question to prevent this kind of disaster, tragically it didn't work. I believe that the word needs to be spread on a global scale and the issue to be at a political level worldwide. We also have guardian angels that come in the form of the whole Kariega team and many others working around the clock for the greater good, these people really are doing the best they can to battle against sometimes hopeless odds to conserve the world in which we live. They derserve a knighthood they really do. The task in which it takes to take care of these surving rhino's is almost unimaginable and certainly very intensive. You can not just take the animalsl to the vet and put them in a cage they are wild animals that are roaming free, they have to be tracked and monitored. When they need medicine or treatment they need darting and sedated and a reverse drug to be given. They do not know where the animal will run and how it will fall. They need everyone possible on board to help it is no easy feat not by a long stretch.
One things is for sure the rhino will be poached and killed again this is for certain. So please spread the word...and lets hope for the complete recovery of Thandiswa and Themba for they really are symbols of courage and hope and for a better future for our rhino's for they only have us to protect them.

If this like me fills you will sadness please see the link below to help save the Kariega rhino's http://www.kariega.co.za/about-us/help-save-our-rhino-project

You can also follow Thandiswa and Themba's progress on the Kariega Game Reserve facebook page.