Shocking Poaching of Rhino Over Christmas Period in South Africa

While this Christmas photo of the baby rhinos is so cute, the very fact that we have these photo opportunities with animals that should be being reared in the wild, but who have been orphaned through human greed, is tragic… and no more so than this Christmas week which has seen a massive slaughter of South African rhino.

According to Karen Trendler from Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage, Christmas Eve was a quiet and sombre time at the orphanage with news of “at least 17 rhino poached in South Africa in the last week and the brutal slaying of five rhino destined for Vietnam in a quarantine boma, and the shipment of elephant calves to China.”

The five rhino were shot in the boma in North West province. Allison Thomson from Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching, reported that “one survived but the prognosis is not good”.

In possible unrelated news, she also reported that a vet in the same province had been broken into on Thursday night by thieves who stole three boxes of darting drugs.

Allison said: “If you are a rhino owner please don’t let your guard down over the festive season. It is not quietening down at all… in fact it is getting worse. Please be vigilant.”

Thank you to all those working this season, giving up their own family Christmas yesterday, to try and keep the rhino safe.

MORE

Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage:
www.facebook.com/rhinoorphanage/

OSCAP:
www.facebook.com/groups/OSCAP/