It’s a sad day for nature lovers and the entire planet.
Rhinoceroses thrived for millions of years before meeting their most deadly enemy: humans.
Yep, we all, the smartest species on the planet have done it again – and another one bites the dust! Say Goodbye to The Western Black Rhinoceros.
The West African Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes) is officially declared extinct according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
WHY? HOW? Because,we are self centered and it’s shameful that our government and all the other countries on this earth don’t work together to protect and save the wildlife and natural wonders of our planet instead of fighting and killing each other off in the name of religion for power and control.
In the long run all the Gods are going to be totally annoyed and pissed off at the human race because we couldn’t put aside our differences accept the fact that we have different beliefs and do the really important job we have before us and that is to save and protect what has been given us.
Humankind does have many dedicated people and organizations working day in and day out to try and protect and save the wildlife and nature on our planet it is far too few. Something needs to change and it starts within each of us and especially our leaders to begin to CARE about what really matters and to turn our attention, our energy, our countries budgets and spend it on something worthwhile and that is preserving every living thing on this planet for future generations.
Sad to say I feel it will happen far too slowly and times like this is when I wish I had a magic wand that with a quick snap would knock some common sense into the powers that be so they could see clearly and actually do something constructive. But I don’t and I can’t find a magic wand repair man anywhere that could get it working again. So folks it’s all still on our shoulders to wise up and fly right.
There are four subspecies of Black Rhino. The black rhino has a characteristic pointed, prehensile upper lip, which is adapted for grasping leaves and twigs. And the West African Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes) is the rarest and most endangered subspecies, with only 10 surviving in 2003, and the the last time one was seen was in 2006. The IUCN says the extinction of these magnificent beasts could’ve been avoided if proper conservation methods had been implemented.
Black rhinoceros have been poached to the brink of extinction due to the demand for their horn, both for use in Chinese traditional medicine and for traditional dagger handles in Yemen, the demand for which exploded in the 1970s due to the increased income of oil-rich Gulf States. It is estimated that between 1970 and 1992, around 96 percent of the black rhinoceros population was lost.
Science is now stepping in to dispel some of the mystery and fiction surrounding the use of rhino horn. The horn is used in the traditional medicine systems of many Asian countries, from Malaysia and South Korea to India and China, to cure a variety of ailments. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the horn, which is shaved or ground into a powder and dissolved in boiling water, is used to treat fever, rheumatism, gout, and other disorders.
See PBS Nature episodes about the Black Rhino – Rhino Horn Use: Fact vs. Fiction
That wasn’t the only bad news for rhinos in the IUCN report. Africa’s northern white rhino and Asia’s Javan rhino are fighting for survival due to poaching and a lack of conservation efforts. The report suggests managing and strengthening habitats could save the remaining rhino subspecies from extinction. —
ARKive.org has a unique collection of thousands of videos, images and fact-files illustrating the world’s species, including the Black Rhino, saving their digital footprint for future generations.
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