So How Could Rhino Poaching Possibly Affect Me?

So How Could Rhino Poaching Possibly Affect Me?

– Amanda Levine

Before coming to South Africa for the Stop Rhino Poaching internship, I had no clue that there was a rhino poaching problem. Obviously from reading what the internship was about, I had a vague idea of what was going on, but I mainly came here blind to the entire topic, but ready to learn. Living in California, and going to university in Switzerland, I have not had much exposure to newspaper articles or other sources of information that highlight the topic of poaching in Africa. I love all animals, and always feel the need to help them, but truthfully I thought rhinos were some grey prehistoric rocks. My recent exposure to rhinos has dispelled my previous beliefs about their lack of appeal. They are fascinating, amazing creatures that are especially adorable when they are little. But when explaining this to people back home, I struggle to communicate this newfound love I have for the rhino. People question, “why should I care, they are on the other side of the earth…. And how could a lack of rhinos possibly affect my life?” A few weeks ago I would have agreed with these questions and believed, too, that their lack of existence would have no impact on my life. But once again, as I have researched and learned more about the issue, I could not have been proven more wrong.

Rhino poaching is supporting and funding global terrorism. There is evidence that the global wildlife trade is funding groups such as Somalia’s Al-Shabab, al-Qaeda, Lord’s Resistance Army, and Darfur’s janjaweed. The wild-life trade has now become a life-line for terrorism. There are powerful and brutal syndicates that are at the top of the chain promoting the ongoing slaughter of wildlife poaching. This recent increase in brutality and force is creating a war within game parks between poachers and anti-poaching teams. Organized crime has become increasingly advanced, leaving many anti-poaching teams unprotected. Aside from the sheer acts of violence that are taking place on the ground in Africa, there are other acts of violence all around the world that these terrorist groups are creating. These range from human trafficking to drugs. Rhino horn is just becoming another commodity to these crime syndicates. The wildlife trade is appealing to many because it has higher reward and lower risk than the drug trade. Poachers are creating a global threat. David Barron, founder of ICCF said, “Unless the United States takes strong action to combat the illegal poaching and trade of wildlife, terrorist groups will be increasingly fortified with funding and safe havens in Africa from which to launch attacks against the United States and our global interests.”

To make it clear, South Africa is not alone in this battle, and we need to make sure they know they have support to help bring this war to an end. These terrorist and criminal groups are destroying decades of Africa’s conservation wins. Daily, criminals are attempting to smuggle wildlife out of Africa and into and through other countries. In order to bring an end to this ordeal, global attention is necessary. There needs to be improved law enforcement and investigation, more prosecutions and higher sentences, and the ability to detect rhino horn among other wildlife leaving Africa.
I find it disappointing when I hear people say that it doesn’t matter that the rhinos are being killed because they are on the other side of the earth. But it is all a ripple effect. Although we may not be seeing the consequences of our actions now, it will come back to haunt us. We could become known as the generation that allowed a multitude of species to become extinct. The global community needs to come together and fight for their fellow land-lubber. We will not be the generation to lose rhinos on our watch.

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