Black Rhinos: A Success Story in Namibia

Here's a post we did for The Wilderness Classroom about rhinos in Africa.  This was really interesting for us, because while in Vietnam we met with an organization, ENV, that is trying to stop the demand for rhino horn that is causing rhino poaching in Africa.  While in Namibia, we met with an organization that has successfully protected black rhinos over the past decade.  And this organization is affiliated with the Minnesota Zoo!

Save the Rhino Trust entrance

Black rhino

Video summary of Vietnam and other posts from our kids

Jamie decided to do a video post about our time in Vietnam.  She wrote the script and we added in photos and some video clips.  Here's her video which can also be found on our kids' blog.

And if you haven't checked out their blog lately, Jamie did a post on dolphins (there's a short video in that post showing dolphins racing along the front of a boat we were on) and Jason just did a post on box turtles.

Vietnam's Emptying Forests

In Vietnam, we wanted to learn about an important issue:  why is there poaching, or illegal killing, of certain endangered animals? 

To find out, we went to ENV (Education for Nature Vietnam).  Animals are trafficked (bought and sold) illegally in Vietnam.  Many animals are also hunted in Vietnam, and sent to China because there is demand there. 

Why would people buy and sell animals illegally?  Here are some examples:

• Many animals -- such as rhinos, macaques, or tigers -- are killed and used to make traditional medicines. 
• “Wildlife restaurants” serve exotic dishes to locals and tourists – such as porcupines, mouse deer, monitor lizards, civets, snakes and even bears
• Animals are kept illegally as pets – monkeys, for example.
• Some animals are stuffed or hung on the wall as trophies, or status symbols – like shiny lacquered marine turtle shells, or stuffed tigers.
• Some animals are kept in cages as attractions to bring tourists into restaurants or hotels.

Vietnam’s Rhino:  Extinct

The impact of this illegal demand for animals and animal products is huge.  One example is the Javan rhino, which has been extinct in Vietnam since 2010 (a small population of only 50 Javan rhinos still exists, in Sumatra). 

Indian Rhino (closest known relative to Javan Rhino).
Photo from Jo Oh on Wikipedia. 

It’s bad enough to kill a rhino, but the really sad thing is that the rhino is just left there – it isn’t even eaten or used for any other purpose except its horn.