Poaching of black rhinos rising in Zimbabwe's game reserves: WWF

Though it may be big economy for the illegal animal-skin and bones market across the world, or may be a thing of decor for your drawing room, the conservationists seem to be failing in voicing out their concerns for the prevailing poaching of the animals.

a poached black rhino 9

Inspite of all the claimed regulations and securities, forests across the world are getting robbed off their animal's life, followed by that of their skins and bones, "ironically" passing by the professional securities' noses 'unnoticed.'

Similar is the case with Zimbabwe's game reserves. Here, shockingly, in the last three years, at least 40 endangered black rhinos have been poached! Informing on this, the World Wildlife Fund conservation group is concerned over the black rhino's counts decreasing dramatically. It is their horns' value in Asia as an aphrodisiac that is leading to their dramatic death counts.

It was in the 1980s, heavy poaching killed over 1,500 rhinos in the Zimbabwe reserve, with an estimated 'just' 800 black rhinos living in the wild presently! Though a government crackdown after this decline seemed to have slowed the slaughter, poaching is still prevalent in the reserve to a considerable extend.

WWF public relations officer Melody Maunze said,

We are aware that there has been an ongoing collaboration by various stakeholders, but we are concerned about the increasing levels of poaching in (private) conservancies in particular, and some state parks.

If this is the decline trend, and proper management of the black rhino is administered, the animals may soon be pushed to the brink of extinction. Finding out the key to this problem, poaching cannot be brought under control unless Zimbabwe undertakes stringent anti-poaching drives and imposes heavy penalties against poachers.

Photo: gol.com