Chapter 5: “THINK SOLUTIONS…THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE”
CRISIS in Mandarin is broken into two beautiful symbols…the CRI means ‘danger’ or ‘fear’ whilst the SIS means ‘opportunity’. Let us all, with our many many opinions and views, consolidate without egos or tunnelled vision, and collectively unite toward a common goal…saving the rhino from extinction…
So…I reiterate, there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution. Below is a brief summary of the previous chapters…
1) In Taking The Fight To The Poachers
I write about the areas that cannot realistically poison (or treat) the horn. Logistically, an area as big as the Kruger National Park (around 2 million hectares) cannot ‘find’ all of their rhino and importantly, a rhino either de-horned or showing an indelible dye, is not what the tourist wants to see. So, our National Parks and certain other Big Five tourist parks are spending big money to increase their ‘armaments’ (soldiers, logistics, intelligence, etc`) and literally, taking the fight to the poachers…one solution for a specific problem.
2) Educating the Asian People
I have been in China for many months. Three weeks ago I spent 10 days in Beijing. I interviewed a Chinese Professor who reiterated what I had heard many times before. ‘You will not change thousands of years of traditional healing. If the mind believes something I take will heal me, it will’. I am one of the Earths greatest optimists but from what I have seen and experienced, I will say openly, ‘yes, change is possible, even inevitable, but not before the last rhino is dead’. Time is running out for the rhinoceros.
3) ‘Poisoning’ the Horn (or ‘treating’ the Horn)
An definite solution. IF all private rhino owners did it (at a cost of around R15, 000 per rhino which will last for about 4 years). Many private rhino owners feel it is too expensive but the obvious question is begged: if you can afford to pay between R150, 000 and R200, 000 for a rhino, why can’t you protect it at a ‘nominal’ cost? The ecto-parisitacide will have adverse effects on a human that ingests the horn (not death but certain ailments such as stomach issues and severe headaches) but no negative effects on flora or fauna (as tested thus far).
4) ‘Legalising Trade in Rhino Horn
Another definite solution (I reiterate, while some banter about how wrong this is, rhino are dying). I will gladly enter into dialog on ‘morals and ethics’ and will go into great detail on ‘poisoning or treating’ the horn. I will also go into serious debate and analysis on ‘game hunting’ and ‘game farming’. In the end, hunting (as much as I find it abhorrent…unless I hunt it for me and my family, in a humane way, to survive), it plays a VITAL role in African conservation…certainly way ahead of eco-tourism. ‘Game farming’ should, and must be there! We brought cattle (an Asian animal) into Africa and it has destroyed our land. We have brought sheep into Africa and it has destroyed our land…we killed the masses of Springbok that roamed the plains because they ‘competed’ with the sheep for grazing. We put in bore holes to water our cattle and sheep…but had we ‘farmed’ the gemsbok and springbok, which were way less intensive, we would have saved many species, now extinct, and made greater profits…wise in hindsight? Yes, because we are ‘farming’ the natural fauna and getting ride of the ‘non-indigenous’.
So, I am simply suggesting that we need to move from our clouded worlds of ‘how I would like it to be’ (as I was) and move towards ‘how it must be in order for them to survive’.
5) Is For Tomorrow…I call it www.united4rhinos.org I will write on the plane tomorrow on this Win/Win idea…
Thanks for your comments, challenges and accusations…I do not take them personally. If I did, I would not serve the greater good.
