April 10, 2009 -- Illegal poaching has escalated to such a degree in Zimbabwe that some rhinos there are now under round-the-clock armed protection, Discovery News has learned from conservationists who are attempting to defeat poachers equipped with automatic machine guns and ammunition belts. See footage of the protected rhinos here. Although it is illegal to shoot a rhinoceros in the landlocked African country, poor enforcement of the law, combined with a downward spiraling economy and a new, deadly poaching technique, are leading to multiple rhino deaths. "We are losing rhinos at an alarming rate," Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said. "We have lost 15 this year alone." Rodrigues recently filed a report, on behalf of the task force, documenting the losses. Related Content:
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, several rhino species are critically endangered. Illegal poachers seeking the animals' horns, which are used in traditional Asian medicine, have reduced some populations to just a few hundred individuals. At Imire Safari Ranch, conservationists Judy and John Travers have been forced to house their rhinos in segregated areas surrounded by electric fences, armed guards and national park rangers. If an animal is released into the wild, they suggest, its death or horrific injury is nearly certain. John Travers said last week that a released rhino named Cleopatra "was drugged" and "dehorned by literally scalping her...Cleopatra is now faceless." "How cruel," Travers asked, "has man become?" Producer Anne Sommerfield, who is working on a documentary called "There's a Rhino in My House" for the Animal Planet network, which is owned by Discovery Communications, Inc., spent time at Imire and confirmed the bloody conditions there. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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