The Last Rhino

The Last Rhino

2012, Nature  -   23 Comments
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Ratings: 8.56/10 from 34 users.

The Last RhinoIt's a creature from a bygone age, older than mankind itself. Greed and corruption, myth and superstition, had brought the rhino to the brink of extinction.

For millenia its best protection, the rhino's horn is now its worst enemy. If the killing doesn't stop than the last rhino in the wild could disappear in just a few years.

These days rhino poachers come by a helicopter armed with powerful tranquilizers and a chainsaw. The cruelty of the attack is just breathtaking. A philosopher once said that we can judge the hearth of a man by his treatment of animals. If so what kind of men are doing this?

In 2010 more than 300 rhinos were killed for their horns. With acts of such heartless cruelty taking place every day now, that annual total will almost double in 2012. It amounts to the wholesale slaughter of one of this continent's most praised natural assets, by means both crude and sophisticated.

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May
May
6 years ago

what the hell, Jack, are you serious "don't insult apes"......anyways......well people in the world needs to stop killing animals, especially rhino, you know they have a life to live not for people killing them........anyways, yeah people in the world need to change and need to stop killing animals because some people in this world love having rhino, monkey and even apes......it's so sad seeing all the white rhino and black rhino dying because of other people, people you need to stop killing animals....what wrong with them living in the same world a us

lrz0
lrz0
7 years ago

So sad, the last black rhino now died, so the species is actually extinct. There's about 2 or 3 white rhino's left. Mankind has failed.

Curtis Jackson
Curtis Jackson
10 years ago

My strong, confirmed belief in the Bible promises that future-wise such badness would be wiped away (as promised in chapter 37, Psalms). Yet my wish not to preach here, for this is not the forum for it. May you obtain such genuine good news for in the best way possible, at your choosing.
There is another film being produced by an experienced, award-winning, war photograper and photojournalist Kate Brooks. She is one of those persons not sitting back and letting things happen. Her upcoming film is called, 'The Last Animals'. You may wish to do a online search to learn about her cinema project addressing the harmful trade of poaching.
In my news commentary blog (Curtis On The News) I wished to had addressed this subject matter a bit more, others had done so- hats off to them! In 2008 I did wrote of my concerns about domestic animal abuses. Therefore in some way or another the wrong acts are a crisis global. And my partial view the outstanding rest with each individual, person by person, family by family doing what is lastingly benefit towards one another and maintaining an healthy earthwide dwelling.

irish paddy
irish paddy
10 years ago

in this world we cant sit back and let this happen. it is up to us to stop them scum doing this
please stop this we all can do it if we stand up to them no life dirt bags

Andreja Svrzi?
Andreja Svrzi?
10 years ago

it is sad what we "humans" do but there is other side to this story,money from that horn feed somebody family and that money come from some rich creep etc I can go deep in to it but I think you all know were its going... that kill and probably poverty of that killer in Vietnam is just consequence of our consumer society so we need to change on much deeper level and we might have a chance to live in ethical and moral society... but that will never happen :)

David Ottermann
David Ottermann
11 years ago

When can I buy the permits to start hunting humans???

Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
11 years ago

it brings awareness. to an important issue

Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
11 years ago

it brings awareness....to a very important issue

pjle
pjle
11 years ago

Why not cut the penis off of every poacher that is caught.So they don't reproduce more poachers.This is so disturbing.We as so-called humans have only existed a fraction of a thumbnail/yet we have desamated nearly half of the entire planet with unbelievable idioticy.We do not deserve this rock we are on.DISTURBING and CRUEL.For what To make believe it will make us keep it up longer.

lex lexich
lex lexich
11 years ago

rhino or cow? what's the difference? we are all part of this slaughter, with very few exceptions

Hawkeyes
Hawkeyes
11 years ago

I got teary. Disgusting humans we have on this planet.

Tree Ethington
Tree Ethington
11 years ago

This issue has been allowed to go on far too long. You have video of a Viet or Korean govt official with Rhino horns IN HER hands and she is allowed to bring these package through onto the planes without so much as a look under the guise of diplomatic pouch? bull. that should be reserved for documents only. I think a dog would be able to sort that out very quickly. Having her caught red handed with 3 horns on video is enough. She should be personally held responsible for the death of 3 of these animals. Without a buyer, there is no killer. It's like watching a leaking ship. Start plugging the leaks. First, the clear and obvious government leak - Plug it! Kick them out of the country... get serious. The main mass killing method is helicopter. This affords the bad guys a very fast and efficient way to kill and chainsaw off horns. Plug it. Make ANY fly overs of the areas with this animal totally OFF LIMITS, then allow whatever flights would be "ok" maybe tourists, officials, whatever.. but those flights would be prearranged and qualified. AND other helicopter, shoot the damn thing down. Seriously. We have very efficient weapons for doing this. Shoulder launched weapons. Surely this government has their own. Make it the law of the land, call it an "Emergency doctrine" or whatever needs to be done to push it through the dang government there. I think waiting for more dead animals is ridiculous. Be prepared beforehand for the bad guys to hit hard, be waiting.... with weapons capable of bringing a helicopter down and "neutralizing" anyone on the ground who may survive and come out shooting. Come on, this is a war here. The bad guys aren't playing, why are you. So control the airspace. Then control the parameters. Obviously this must be done in a cost efficient way. Sensors and computers. This will eliminate a lot of ground work that goes no where. You have helicopters and vehicles. Go over your areas, get a fix on the fastest and safest ways into each area known to be a killing area. Have a way into every area. Obviously this also opens up the area to the bad guys, but they are already there.... so that argument is invalid.
Using the imagery we have available now, with sensors.. will give you a precise location of your bad guys. I would think you should also be able to see the amount of force/people you have in your zone so that you can use the appropriate response.
Taking a chainsaw to a living animals face is beyond savage. There are no words I can dig up inside of me to explain how I felt seeing that female walking around with a chainsawed face.
Speaking of money, and isn't it always an issue? Put some laws in place with teeth. Confiscation laws, seizing bank accounts and assets from anyone caught in the trade in any way of Rhino horn. In any way. This is a crime, so anyone caught in this crime should be made to forfeit oh.. what's a species worth? 10MIL let's say for starters... so, bank accounts, homes, cars, anything this government can go after, should be liquidated and that money earmarked for this ongoing project.
You need a plan. Lay it all out. Plug the immediate holes. Get laws in place immediately to effect the changes right away. Make it hurt both by risking life and since the bad guys often do not do their own "dirty work" then financially hit them hard. This is a big challenge. You need someone with brass balls to set this in motion. Hire a retired General who's seem some combat. Give him the authority to really do things, not just a paper tiger. I don't want to see the Rhino disappear because of man's greed. It's always about money.
Go after the money trail. Take everything from those involved in any way. Be prepared to piss off a few people and even a few countries. I highly doubt anyone is going to cry when they see that a diplomat is on film very clearly participating in the extinction of a beautiful animal.
This is all of our problem. Wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to have a meeting of the top brains in certain technologies that could come together to put in place the things needed for this project.
I know the issue is going to be money. But some of the holes can be plugged right now, without cost. Then think hard and creatively about funding for this. It really needs to be a priority. If only there was a reason or way to use this land or allow the use of this land, so that the company on the land had a reason to assist in the protection of it. The only thing I can think of there is some military thing. But I know that's not going to work with the animals.. or would it..? We have the best weapons out here, and that is us and the ideas people have. I am a little less patient and am all for killing the bad guys. I am sure that will bug some people, but have you a better idea? My son is 13, I do not want his generation to be the last to know a wild Rhino.
When I asked him, he said why can't they make the horns unusable or ruin them if only to save the animal. I don't know, can this be done? I realize that we all think that is awful.. but.. it's still better than watching the whole species be killed, or to see a gruesomely mutilated animal who has a chain sawed face walking around trying to survive. My God that's just the worse thing I have seen here. Is there nothing our scientist community could do to the Rhino's horn/body that wouldn't harm the animal, but would make the horn unwanted...
btw.. seizing money. The US and IRS particularly are very good at this. Why not consult with the top guys and ask how to put laws into place immediately that would fit within your guidelines/government that are like our RICO statutes. Thus any proceeds that can be traced in any way to any crime would fall under your jurisdiction to be seized... The fruit of the tree... so if you used the money you made in illegal activities to fund your home, your car, etc. those items will be taken from you. If you really want to see this be an effective method of making money to finance this "project" then give the people who find the hidden assets of the bad guys a percentage. This is at the end of the "court war" part.. but if you want to make inroads financially, you must have motivated people seeking the assets. So, perhaps a percentage of the "finds" could be appropriate. It would make the job of being an "asset collections worker" a very good job indeed. There are so many things/ways out there to track down assets and people. There are equally bright people ready and willing to do so, for a living. Let them.
Sorry for such a long note. This really bothered me so much that I could not sit on my hands and remain silent. I would volunteer to work on any of this myself. I'd buy my own bullets...

magarac
magarac
11 years ago

Maybe someone should tell the vietnamese that chewing their fingernails is just as good but way cheaper.

Kenneth Oconnor
Kenneth Oconnor
11 years ago

It will be a sad day for mankind if we kill the last rhino. we are killing the planet slowly bit by bit if it goes on there will nothing left just humans . I dont wont to live a world like that. People that go out to kill these animals should get what they deserve . kill them they know what they are doing. the rhino has the right to live. LONG LIVE THE RHINO. GOD BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SAVING THESE GREAT ANIMALS FOR MANKIND .

crop
crop
11 years ago

I can't believe there are people cutting of almost half the face of a beautiful creature like this just to sell something that's basically useless for us but so valuable for the animal itself. Seeing the rhino get shot and still breathing when it was laying on the ground in pain just made my cry. Killing the poachers helps but it starts at taking care of the Chinese and Vietnamese corrupt gouvernement.

Bryan Dunn
Bryan Dunn
11 years ago

lol at 37:16 she looks down the barrel of a loaded gun, reminds me of the movie Old School

PaulGloor
PaulGloor
11 years ago

Great wall of Africa... maybe that's whats needed.
Maybe if they wanna score points for the US army, they should unload a few thousand troops out there to shoot poachers. Set a bunch of drones and soldiers with night vision loose and see what happens when the second largest standing military on earth starts enforcing wildlife conservation. Better yet, get Russia in on it too.
Its sad, but it seems the only way to protect the species is to farm them and cut their horns off, its about as humane as it can get when the alternative is poachers wiping them out.

fonbindelhofas
fonbindelhofas
11 years ago

why dont they sniff fingernails instead? damn, humans are so brutal apes