Stop Rhino Poaching
In South Africa in 2009 122 Rhino’s were butchered solely for their horns. In 2010 this figure nearly tripled and this upward trend shows no sign of slowing in 2011. Mahlatini wish to raise the profile of the rhinos’ delicate situation and help gain supporters for the struggle against the rhino poachers.
The Black & White Rhino
The White and Black Rhinoceros can be found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Uganda. Whilst most people would assume that the rhino’s names are in reference to their colour, both are of a similliar grey colouring. The white rhinoceros is actually a mistranslation of the Dutch work 'Wijd' meaning wide which is a reference to its wider, square upper lip which differs to that of the more pointed upper lip of the black rhino.
illegal poaching
Both the black and white rhinos have been pushed to the brink of extinction through illegal poaching. The white rhino has managed to recover somewhat in recent years through extensive breeding programmes; they remain on the endangered animals list however numbers have managed to increase to around 16000.
The black rhino declined drastically in the 1970s and 1980s due to poaching. To prevent extinction, many rhinos were trans-located to fenced sanctuaries in the early 1990s. This effort appears to be succeeding, as 1994 was the first time in 20 years that rhino numbers did not decline
The rhino is prized for its horn. Not a true horn, it is made of thickly matted hair that grows from the skull without skeletal support. The major demand for rhino horn is in Asia, where it is used in traditional medicine and ornamental carvings. Eastern traditions believe that rhino horns help in reducing a fever, reviving patients and increasing fertility. Medical research has proven that there is no scientific basis for these beliefs and that the rhino horn is made from keratin, the same material that is makes up hair, nails and animal hoofs.
Our Sponsored Rhino
Baby Themba
On the 30th of January Amakhala Game Reserve rejoiced with the surprise birth of baby rhino Themba. Themba is a Square-Lipped Rhinoceros, most commonly known as White Rhinoceros. Nomvula, Themba’s mum would have carried Themba for a period of 16 months and when Themba was born she would have weighed approx 40kg, 4% of her mother’s weight. Her mother would have found heavy cover to give birth and she would’ve stood within an hour of birth but be a bit unsteady on her feet for up to 3 days where she would’ve stayed hidden but close to her mother. Once out into the world of Amakhala she will walk in front of her mother and feed on demand for 2-3 minutes. She will start grazing at around 2 months and be weaned at 12-18 months, but will stay with her mother for 2-3 years until she has her next calf but she will maintain a close social tie even after that. She may even come across other White Rhinos when grazing with her mother.
Her main enemies while growing up will be Lions, Spotted Hyenas and MAN. There are no Spotted Hyenas on Amakhala or Lions in her section so this will up her chances of survival into adulthood. On rare occasions translocated Elephants have been known to kill Rhinos. White Rhinos are more even tempered than Black but her mother will be fiercely protective of her and will charge up to 40 km/h.
She will spend 50% of her day eating short, fresh growth grass, cropping the leaf & stem, which will make up 99% of her diet with a little soil to obtain minerals. The remainder of her time will be spent resting, walking, standing alert, wallowing in mud & water to cool down and remove parasites, drinking, socialising and rubbing up against trees, rocks & termite mounds. She will drink mainly in the afternoon and into the night if water is available but can go up to 4 days without water in dry periods. She will be active both day and night but will avoid the midday sun and any cold weather by lying in cover.
Even though her eyesight will be poor her hearing and scent is very sensitive. Her skin will be 25mm thick, rough and dark grey-brown in colour with course bristles. She will have a broad muzzle and square wide lips, hence where they get their name from. She will have a barrel shaped body on short sturdy legs, growing up to 2-2.3 tonnes, almost double the weight of a Black Rhino, making her the second biggest land mammal after elephants. Themba means ‘hope’ in Zulu and was named by the ranger who first discovered her. With the recent sad events at Amakhala and the 2 lovely male rhinos having lost their lives to poachers it really is a very poignant name. We hope you will help us raise awareness of the Rhino's plight and spread the word.