White Rhino Killed in Heavily Guarded Park
- 11 years ago
The World Wildlife Fund reports 668 slaughtered rhinos within the country of South Africa alone in 2012. The trend seems to be continuing with the most recent poaching of a white rhino in Kenya’s secured Nairobi National Park.
In the last few years, the killing of rhinos in Africa and Asia for the illegal sale of their horns has increased dramatically. The Environmental Investigation Agency says, “With prices able to fetch more than cocaine or gold, the trade is attracting the attention of organized crime.” The World Wildlife Fund reports 668 slaughtered rhinos within the country of South Africa alone in 2012.
The trend seems to be continuing with the most recent poaching of a white rhino in Kenya’s Nairobi National Park, which is known for its security and has not had any rhino killings in 6 years.
The criminals shot the rhino and gruesomely removed its horn. Chris Donohue, a local who was on a drive through the park with his family, saw the rhino’s body and described the event as "pretty traumatic."
This is the 35th rhino to be killed in Kenya this year when the total killed in the county last year was 29.
Made of material similar to human finger nails, the demand for rhino horns has grown sharply based on its use as a recreational drug as well as fictional, unproven beliefs that it has healing properties, especially in treating cancer.
In the last few years, the killing of rhinos in Africa and Asia for the illegal sale of their horns has increased dramatically. The Environmental Investigation Agency says, “With prices able to fetch more than cocaine or gold, the trade is attracting the attention of organized crime.” The World Wildlife Fund reports 668 slaughtered rhinos within the country of South Africa alone in 2012.
The trend seems to be continuing with the most recent poaching of a white rhino in Kenya’s Nairobi National Park, which is known for its security and has not had any rhino killings in 6 years.
The criminals shot the rhino and gruesomely removed its horn. Chris Donohue, a local who was on a drive through the park with his family, saw the rhino’s body and described the event as "pretty traumatic."
This is the 35th rhino to be killed in Kenya this year when the total killed in the county last year was 29.
Made of material similar to human finger nails, the demand for rhino horns has grown sharply based on its use as a recreational drug as well as fictional, unproven beliefs that it has healing properties, especially in treating cancer.