Sommerfield told Discovery News that at one point, poachers broke into the conservancy, "tied up and assaulted the guards, and proceeded to kill three rhinos in their pens." Only a young rhino named Tatenda, which weeks beforehand had its horns removed to protect it from attack, survived. "So at just six weeks old, Tatenda was found cowering in the corner of the pen covered in his mother's blood," she said. "With the escalating poaching problems, it appears Tatenda may be facing the same fate his mother did, and her mother beforehand." Sommerfield puts the blame on the demand for rhino horn, which she believes involves international trade. Rodrigues said poachers are now using dart guns because the guns produce "no noise and it is much easier for the poachers to get away." "Autopsies have been done on the rhinos killed with a dart gun, and it was found that the drug is of Chinese origin, so we believe, and in fact we have heard from a reliable source, that the Chinese are buying the rhino horn," he added. Sommerfield hopes her forthcoming program, along with related media coverage, will "place a massive international spotlight on the poaching problem" in Zimbabwe and encourage government officials to assist animal conservationists at Imire and elsewhere. At present, the Travers are seeking funds to increase security for the Imire rhinos. Travers described the present situation as "international warfare against the rhino." Rodrigues echoed those fears. "The only thing I can think of that would help these animals," he said, "is to put as many of them as possible under 24-hour armed guard." Related Links: Imire Safari Ranch and the Black Rhino Fund |
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