Africa's Western Black Rhino declared extinct

[News_Editor]

Africa's Western Black Rhino declared extinct

2011-11-11 17:07:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- The International Union for the Conservative of Nature (IUCN) has declared Africa's Western Black Rhinoceros to be extinct, only weeks after the Javan rhinoceros in Vietnam was also declared extinct.

The IUCN declared the subspecies extinct and warned that others are also on the brink of extinction as a result of widespread poaching. The head of the United Nations-backed convention on endangered species has called for the stepping up of efforts by countries and international organizations to combat the illegal trade in rhino horn.

"We're extremely worried about today's news," said John Scanlon, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). "To hear about the extinction of the subspecies from West Africa is of grave concern. We have grave concern for the rhino more generally."

The Western Black Rhinoceros were once widespread in central-west Africa, but the subspecies became heavily hunted in the beginning of the 20th century. Although preservation actions in the 1930s allowed the species to partially recover, protection efforts later declined.

In 1980, the population of the subspecies had declined to several hundred, most of them in northern Cameroon. By 2000, only about a dozen Western Black Rhinoceros were thought to be alive, and a survey in 2006 found none to be alive. No sightings of the animal have been reported since, and none were held in captivity.

According to CITES, 330 rhinos have been killed this year alone, poached for their horns which are popular in medicine markets across South East Asia. Demand for the horn is at an all time high, with prices reaching more than $50,000 per kilogram (2.2 pounds).

"We cannot rely upon the responses historically used. We need to involve the police, in a way that can combat criminal gangs. We need to involve world customs at a much greater level; we need to get the justice system treating illegal trade in wildlife, in particular rhino horn, as serious crime," Scanlon said.

The Secretary-General added that these measures are needed to protect all endangered species, not just the rhino. Illegal trade in wildlife is estimated to be worth more than $10 billion per year, driving many species closer to extinction.

Last month, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the International Rhino Foundation confirmed that Javan rhinoceros have also been driven to complete extinction in Vietnam. With the complete extinction in Vietnam, only one small group remains in the wild: the 40 to 50 Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon in Indonesia.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-11-11

[Daffy D]

Very Sad

[Scott]

Very Sad

Very, very sad. And the reason for the killing is equally as sad.

[TAWP]

Also sad that it had to die in large of ignorant people and backwards cultural beliefs. No, in no way are we required to accept and respect all peoples beliefs. Some are just plain nuts.

[koheesti]

Also sad that it had to die in large of ignorant people and backwards cultural beliefs. No, in no way are we required to accept and respect all peoples beliefs. Some are just plain nuts.

Agreed. The horns don't even do whatever "magic" these backward people beieve they do.

[Daffy D]

We can't blame the Africans for this one.

It's the rich civilized educated peoples that are driving the market for exotic animal parts.

[seaeagle]

We can't blame the Africans for this one.

It's the rich civilized educated peoples that are driving the market for exotic animal parts.

South East Asia - rich, civilised, and educated??

In general, I think not!

[maloyd1]

Very Sad

Very Sad indeed.:(

One can only wonder what these stupid people will do for their ingredients once all the animal species plundered for this purpose are extinct?

Poachers are only doing what they do to feed a market. They will now move onto the next most lucrative animal to kill and sell.

What it needs is a scientific study of what these idiots are getting out of Rhino horn and other animal parts that is so important.

Probably find that the good old Cow has all the same chemicals in its horns that the Rhino has and the world must have millions of Cow Horns going for virtually nothing.

It's the big boys at the top who need to be sorted out. Without their money to process these illegal animal parts the poachers would have no market to sell into.

[doggie888888]

Also sad that it had to die in large of ignorant people and backwards cultural beliefs. No, in no way are we required to accept and respect all peoples beliefs. Some are just plain nuts.

Of course some beliefs are nuts. Like some past big game hunters who belief it is their god given right to hunt these rhinos for sports to the brink of extinction. Many ignorant and backward people, both past and present, contributed to current sad state of affairs.

[Albacore]

Very Sad

Very Sad indeed.:(

One can only wonder what these stupid people will do for their ingredients once all the animal species plundered for this purpose are extinct?

Poachers are only doing what they do to feed a market. They will now move onto the next most lucrative animal to kill and sell.

What it needs is a scientific study of what these idiots are getting out of Rhino horn and other animal parts that is so important.

Probably find that the good old Cow has all the same chemicals in its horns that the Rhino has and the world must have millions of Cow Horns going for virtually nothing.

It's the big boys at the top who need to be sorted out. Without their money to process these illegal animal parts the poachers would have no market to sell into.

I don't think they're actually getting any benefit out of the rhino horn. There's no evidence that the horn does anything for fever relief.

[luckizuchinni]

We can't blame the Africans for this one.

It's the rich civilized educated peoples that are driving the market for exotic animal parts.

Wrong.

For rhinos, it is the Chinese traditionalists who want the horns for sexual potency and the Yemenese who want the horns for ceremonial daggers.

Last I knew, neither Chinese nor Yemenese are part of the "rich civilized educated" group.

[luckizuchinni]

Very Sad

Very Sad indeed.:(

One can only wonder what these stupid people will do for their ingredients once all the animal species plundered for this purpose are extinct?

Poachers are only doing what they do to feed a market. They will now move onto the next most lucrative animal to kill and sell.

What it needs is a scientific study of what these idiots are getting out of Rhino horn and other animal parts that is so important.

Probably find that the good old Cow has all the same chemicals in its horns that the Rhino has and the world must have millions of Cow Horns going for virtually nothing.

It's the big boys at the top who need to be sorted out. Without their money to process these illegal animal parts the poachers would have no market to sell into.

I don't think they're actually getting any benefit out of the rhino horn. There's no evidence that the horn does anything for fever relief.

The horns are made of karetin, and you might as well be chewing fingernails.

[Daffy D]

We can't blame the Africans for this one.

It's the rich civilized educated peoples that are driving the market for exotic animal parts.

South East Asia - rich, civilised, and educated??

In general, I think not!

Perhaps I should have phrased it slightly differently. They may not be all that civilized and all that educated but they are rich enough to drive this exotic animal parts market.

[prvtdetdave]

Ignorant people, maybe someone should grind up some old cow horn and sell it to them.

[koheesti]

Ignorant people, maybe someone should grind up some old cow horn and sell it to them.

Not a bad idea. SE Asia floods the market with cheap rip-off goods all the time, Why not give them a little of their own medicine? I'm sure slaughter housing will unload them for much cheaper than the Chinese will buy them. And since they THINK they are using Rhino horn, they will probably get the same effect.

[bonobo]

Ignorant people, maybe someone should grind up some old cow horn and sell it to them.

Not a bad idea. SE Asia floods the market with cheap rip-off goods all the time, Why not give them a little of their own medicine? I'm sure slaughter housing will unload them for much cheaper than the Chinese will buy them. And since they THINK they are using Rhino horn, they will probably get the same effect.

Actually, this has happened many times. I have read reports and seen on tv where Chinese shop owners were arrested for selling fake rhino horn, both in China and the US. In China, as I recall, it was a serious offense. In the US the shop owners were given some sort of misdemeanor charge when it turned out not to be actual rhino horn.

Slightly off-topic, the advent of Viagra has greatly reduced the prices for things like tiger bones and rhino horn. Knock-off Viagra is quite cheap and works, while rhino horn, quality ginseng, tiger bones, and all the other things which are supposed to improve erections only work as a placebo and are far more expensive.

Unfortunately, the Yemenese are paying more and more for rhino horns for their daggers.

[maidu]

For rhinos, it is the Chinese traditionalists who want the horns for sexual potency and the Yemenese who want the horns for ceremonial daggers.

correct, though could add other dune states (Saudis, etc) to that list for dagger handles. Chinese old men are the #1 biggest consumers for such hocus pocus, and therefore the most danger to endangered species. There should be sting operations to bust the consumers and the dealers. Unfortunately, the Chinese couldn't conduct an effective sting operation, even if they wanted to, which they don't. Much of the body parts from endangered species probably get to China via Bangkok, but the Thai authorities are also ineffectual at sting operations.

[Scott]

Victor Bout might disagree with that assumption.

[onionluke]

I used to know a material sourcer for the rag trade and I heard tale of rhino horn being made into exclusive buttons to suit wealthy clientel .

[maidu]

Victor Bout might disagree with that assumption.

The Bout sting, along with all other significant stings in Thailand (albeit few), was orchestrated by farang authorities, in that case; the US.

[Payboy]

Ignorant people, maybe someone should grind up some old cow horn and sell it to them.

Not a bad idea. SE Asia floods the market with cheap rip-off goods all the time, Why not give them a little of their own medicine? I'm sure slaughter housing will unload them for much cheaper than the Chinese will buy them. And since they THINK they are using Rhino horn, they will probably get the same effect.

I'm sure it happens all the time, particularly in China. Talk about a placebo.