World celebrates Rhino Day

By NDUBI MVULA, Lusaka.

EVER heard of the World Rhino Day? Well, this is a day set aside by wildlife conservationists as one for to commemorate and appreciate the importance of wildlife and how beneficial it is to human nature when protected from extinction or wanton poaching.

The day is September 22 of every year and Zambia is part and does commemorate this important annual calendar event and the theme was “Let’s Help Save the Rhino”.

This week, Beyond Victoria Falls takes a look at this day which not many may have the knowledge of but with this, it marks the beginning of more highlights to come on what and how it came about.

According to the Wildlife crime Prevention, a Lusaka based non-governmental organisation, is dedicated to working alongside public and private partners to create a Zambia free from illegal wildlife trade through law enforcement, support to wildlife crime prosecutor and awareness.

When Zambia gained independence the country had the third largest black rhino population in Africa, with 12,000 animals.  Three decades later every last one of these rhinos was gone and rhinos were declared extinct.

It is noted that the loss of the rhinos serves as a reminder of just how high the stakes are. However, there is hope as the Department of National Parks and Wildlife along with its partners have managed to successfully reintroduce some rhinos into protected areas in Zambia.

They now work tirelessly to protect these vital animals.

While not a single rhino has been killed in Zambia for over a decade, the country is increasingly becoming an important player in the global rhino horn trade. This year alone there have been three documented cases of rhino horn entering the borders illegally.

Most illegally traded rhino horn is destined for china and Vietnam where it is erroneously believed to be a cure for numerous ailments and is increasingly used as a status symbol by Asia’s elite.

In Zambia, the illegal possession of trophies such as Elephant Ivory and Rhino Horn is punishable with sentences of between 5 and 10 years imprisonment with no option of a fine under the Zambia Wildlife Act no.14 of 2015.

Therefore, 22 September stands out as a day of reflection and renewed commitment to preserving the precious heritage for Zambia’s economy, ecology and for future generations let alone the tourism sector both domestic and foreign.

However, apart from the rhino (mostly hunted for its horn), the Wildlife Crime Prevention observes that other animals such as the Leopard (for its skin), Elephant (for its tasks), Lions (for their skins) and Pangolin (for its skin and meat), and a good number of arrests have been conducted with suspects prosecuted and convicted accordingly.

The World Rhino Day, celebrates all the five species of rhinos which are; Black rhino, White rhino, Greater one-horned rhino, Sumatran rhino and Javan rhinos. The day was first announced by the WWF-south Africa in 2010 and the following year, world Rhino Day grew into an international success, encompassing both African and Asian rhino species.

In conclusion but not the last, there are five Rhino fun facts which are;  
* There are five different species of rhinoceros. Three are from southern Asia and two from Africa. They are the black Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros, Indian Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros and Sumatran Rhinoceros.
* The name rhinoceros means ‘nose horn’ and is often shortened to rhino. It comes from the Greek words rhino (nose) and ceros (horn).
* White rhinoceros are the second largest land mammal. The white rhino is the largest rhino species and can weigh over 3500 kg (7700lb) and is the largest land mammal after the elephant. Elephants can grow to 7,000 kg (15,000lb).
* Rhinos can grow to over 6 feet tall and more than 11 feet in length.
* Three of the rhinoceros species are listed as being critically endangered. The Black Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros and Sumatran Rhinoceros are all critically endangered which means they have 50 per cent chance  of becoming extinct in three generations.

With these few pointers to the value of the rhinoceros, preservation of the mammal should be taken as a cardinal task for each and everyone as it is one of the tourist attractions.