It is both hard and terrifying to believe that a decade has past since the current terrible poaching onslaught against the worlds rhino began. In that time thousands of rhino and far too many human lives have been lost due to a greed system in the east that is supported by the dark corridors of organized crime and collusion and corruption within governing systems.
In this same decade, a force of humanity has also arisen to give their every ounce and breath for the protection of the rhino. Today we need to acknowledge these countless conservation heroes for without them, the rhino death toll would have been far far higher. Rhino have consumed their lives and reminders of what they are fighting for are ever present all around them, be that through having gotten rhino tattoos or filling their houses with rhino paintings, statues and even having little rhinos stuck to the dashboards of their vehicles. With this amount of dedication and commitment, we can and will still win this war as long as we do not give up.
We must remember that we can each can make a positive difference by ensuring that those at the frontline are fully supported and that rhino remain under the attention of the world. We need to shout out to governments that corruption and organized crime will not be tolerated and ensure that the judiciary is held accountable for effecting the legislation that allows for strict sentencing. May we look back at the next decade knowing that long-term solutions were found that ensure the survivability of this incredible and iconic animal
