I need my horn - A story for young and old PLUS a message to poachers!
Even though today is such a lovely, sunny, spring day, Ruben is feeling very hopeless and upset.
Ruben is a Rhinoceros. He is of beautiful black and white colour, with very prominent horns. He loves his horns! Not only does he use it when he plays with mom and dad but he also uses it in battles over territory and to defend himself against other wild animals.
Did you know?
Rhino horns are made of keratin –the same substance that makes up human hair and fingernails
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Ruben is still a baby, eating vegetation but don’t underestimate him!! He understands much more than everyone thinks. Today he overheard a conversation between daddy and Uncle Buck regarding the neighbors. They were found slaughtered to death and de-horned. Uncle Buck said it was a dreadful sight, one he’ll never forget.
"Daddy calls them poachers, I call them murderers. "It is barbaric and cruel to kill us for our horns. Take it if you so desperately want it but don’t kill us in the process."
Wouldn’t it be excruciating though? Uncle Buck is of the opinion that as long as they don’t cut into the horn bed it is not painful at all. I don’t know…they do it with a chainsaw for crying out loud!!!
Valued for their horns, they face a dire threat from poaching, which is rapidly pushing them towards extinction. Their horns are used in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as carved into jewelry, dagger handles and other trinkets. Rhino horns have become so valuable on the black market...
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They have become so endangered, that breeding has become next to impossible and their genetic diversity is almost non-existent.
My teacher Mrs Jones said that a horn has the ability to grow back to almost full size, but it can take up to three years. Unless they have cut into the skull, then it can’t grow back. "We can survive without horns, it will just be difficult to protect ourselves."
"I suppose that is why mommy never wants me to wander off too far; she is scared the same will happen to me. Does the humans not understand what will happen if the earth has no more Rhino’s?? We put pressure on different plant communities. We are grazers, we are important for maintaining diversity. We are also lawn mowers…The more short grass lawns, the more diverse the landscape!"
Mrs Jones says it is difficult for the Kruger National Park Reserve owners to protect us due to a lack of funds and qualified staff and so many poachers waiting to attack.
If I could say anything to these criminals, it would be:
YOU AREN'T POACHERS, YOU ARE MURDERERS!
I’ve got to run, mommy is calling – see ya!
If you'd like to save a rhino today, please follow any of these links to donate today:
Save the Rhino
Stop Rhino Poaching
Resources:
https://defenders.org/rhinoceros/basic-facts
https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info
https://www.africa-wildlife-detective.com/rhino-poaching.html
most rhinos in africa are under protection cause of poachers and some species of rhino are on extinction list, more needs to be done to cub the trade of tusk especially in china which is the biggest market
postingan anda sangat mengesankan, thanks
it turns out to be almost anywhere in the hemisphere, the rhinoceros became one of the species that will be extinct, including in Indonesia, my country. let's be a joint movement to keep animals. how can we debgan write sepwrti you do @bdmomuae.
Thanks fo shared
Pragtige storie en ek stem so saam met jou boodskap aan daai gewetenlose moordenaars
I hope this beautiful post raise awareness about rhinos. Nobody needs a rhino horn. If they say otherwise, it means they are spoiled and felon! Leave wild life be!
What gets me, is how the Far Eastern countries that use this "muti" cannot be more primitive in their thinking. But, I guess, if you see what they regard as delicacies, I shouldn't be surprised. Rhino poaching is a travesty!
It is sad sometimes to think about all the animals humans kill on a daily basis.
This is really great and meaningful story.
This story is a great message for poachers.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story.
Very interesting story..... A clear picture of animal poaching. Rhinos is just one of the many animals that will go into extinction if animal poaching is not curbed