The future of the black rhino

Not a Black Rhino, but cool nonetheless
By Albrecht Durer

Eddie the Black Rhinoceros
By Margret Cecily

The "black" (or hook-lipped) rhino is one of two African species of rhinoceros (the other being the "white" or squared-lipped).  This species is typically smaller (1,900-3,500 lbs) and has had a long-standing (if perhaps exaggerated) reputation of being extremely aggressive.
 
The black rhino has been classified as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN Red List.  Out of seven sub-species, only the eastern black rhinoceros and the south-central black rhinoceros are definitively noted to have established populations in the wild.  The overall number of black rhinos has been estimated by World Wildlife Fund to be 4,880 as of February 2013.  With hundreds being poached annually, swift actions must be taken to ensure the survival of the species.
 
One project undertaken by WWF in late 2011 was the incredible "Flying Rhino" effort.  South-central black rhinos were transported by helicopter airlift to new territories in an attempt to strengthen the population.

 

Another recent breakthrough in understanding the black rhino occurred during the filming of BBC Nature/Discovery's Africa documentary series.  The film crew were the first to capture the much-fabled nightly "gatherings" of rhinos.  This footage sheds light on the "secret life" of this creature, long believed to be hostile and unsociable.




 
Africa also featured a touching segment of Sir David Attenborough meeting Nicky, a baby black rhino at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.  Nicky has recently been the subject of headlines all over the world; he was born blind and Lewa launched a fundraising campaign to secure funds for a cataract surgery that doctors believe may give him vision for the first time.
 

 

We have made remarkable progress in understanding and interacting with this elusive species.  It is imperative that a safe haven be created for them so much more can be accomplished in generations to come.

--Margret Cecily @rhino_defenders

An analysis on WWF's decision to avoid graphic imagery

As reported on February 19th, 2013 via the New York Times, World Wildlife Fund is launching an anti-poaching campaign, and they have chosen to avoid using graphic imagery.

Let's focus on the following statements:

“Individuals are really turned off by graphic images and we don’t need to show gratuitous violence to really show what is happening to species around the world,” Mr. Macko said.
 
“We look for our advertising and marketing to be inspirational, and we think that is best done when we show the promise of the future and what we aim to protect.”

Social media has exploded with graphic content.  It has become nearly impossible to view news or research the illegal trade without a visual assault of a mutilated elephant, rhino, tiger, and so on.  The decision made by World Wildlife Fund to break away from this trend--and the fact that they have been held in high regard by the public for many years--shows that we can transmute the current slaughter into a powerful, positive, and productive reminder of the actions needed to remedy this crisis.

There's also an issue of graphic imagery desensitizing the mind to such violence.  Psychological studies on video games have suggested that:

"Most of us naturally have a strong aversion to the sight of blood and gore," Bartholow said. 
"Surgeons and soldiers may need to overcome these reactions in order to perform their duties. But for most people, a diminished reaction to the effects of violence is not adaptive. It can reduce inhibitions against aggressive behavior and increase the possibility of inflicting violence on others."

Where does one draw the line between allowing the public to see the truth and sensory overload?  Perhaps a good example would be Sir David Attenborough's 1979 program, Life on Earth.

Attenborough had obtained permission to visit Dian Fossey's mountain gorilla sanctuary in Rwanda.  The program featured incredible segments of Attenborough personally interacting with the gorillas.  It was then later briefly reported that one had tragically been poached--with one glimpse of the remains--and Attenborough and his crew became witnesses to Fossey's heartbreaking reaction.  This was just a small part of his television series, but it was enough.  An outpouring of public reaction led to the founding of the conservation group The International Gorilla Conservation Programme:

Did you know?
 
FFI was a founding force behind the International Gorilla Conservation Programme. In the 1980s, FFI Vice President Sir David Attenborough helped raise £500 to plant the seed which eventually grew into a world renowned, multi-partner conservation programme. See the video below for more information.

Please do not allow these creatures to just become statistics, or be remembered only as victims of crime.  It can only be for the greater good to take time to focus on life in its natural, beautiful state.

--Margret Cecily @rhino_defenders