Skip to main content

Why, Why, Why: Medicine and Status

 


   


 Every time I am lucky enough to see rhinos in the bush, I am impressed by their bulk. They are huge, some weighing in at 6000lbs. Yet, even though they are massive, they move with grace and stealth through the grass and shrublands. Two species roam freely in the South African bush - The black rhino (the top photo), browsers, and the white rhino (bottom photo), grazers. Both are endangered. And because they are threatened, these photos were taken months ago and in different reserves. 


One guess as to the cause of this tragedy. Homo Sapiens, the great destroyers of everything in their way.


So, every time I see these magnificent yet gentle creatures whose ancestors date back to over 14 million years, I am also disgusted with humanity. I feel like pulling out every lock of hair and ripping the fingernails off of every poacher, every villain that hires poachers to kill rhinos for their horns, and every vile consumer that purchases the horns, which, by the way, are made of keratin, the same protein in our hair and fingernails. Why, why, why, one might ask? Where is the demand, another might ask?


The demand comes from Asia, specifically China and Vietnam, for traditional medicines like fevers and headaches (might I suggest that taking a couple of aspirin might be more effective?). Another cause for demand is status.  Hey, look how rich I am. I have enough money to buy a rhino horn that I can display on my desk or shelf. It only cost me $65,000 per kilogram. 


But at what cost to the calf left behind? At what cost to the ecosystem? And what about the cost to the soul of humankind?


#writing #personalessay #mylastmonthsinsouthafrica #rhinopoaching #takeanaspirin #stopthepoachingmadness #rhinohorns #keratin #writersoverfifty #theafricanbush #savetherhinos #createotherjobs













Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Human Despair

  The Tragedy of Human Despair in South Africa I came across this scene while running errands. The person, a man, I think, sat on the dirty, tar road at a robot, straddling the center and right turn lanes on a busy street. The light had turned red, so I was forced to face the human tragedy of poverty, hunger, and hopelessness.  It’s not like I hadn’t seen people on the streets begging for food, clothes, jobs, or anything to sustain them for another day, but this was different.  He rested in a fetal position, head bowed and covered by a white t-shirt juxtaposed against black clothing. And what about the books? I couldn’t see their titles; maybe one was a bible.   He was as still as a statue and as quiet as the dark before the dawn. He did not flinch or moan, nor did he have pleading hands reaching out for a tidbit of salvation.  The human was simply there, a tableau worthy of a production by the Ontological-Hysterical theatre company in New York City’s lower...

The Golden Glow of the Bush

  The Golden Glow of the Bush I have seen some glorious skies during my travels around the world, from the smog-induced fluorescent sunsets in Moscow to the burning red horizon in Lake Tahoe. Looking up toward the heavens at dusk is my favorite time of day.  But, nowhere have I ever been so mesmerized by the setting sun than in the bush. Why? Because the light the fading sun casts on the landscape is like no other. Call it the golden hour or the magic hour, or the hour when a quiet hush blankets the land as day turns to night. Birds sing their bedtime songs, jackals practice their forlorn calls, and predators wake, yawning widely, preparing for the hunt. The fading light signals transformation from the brightness to darkness, from things seen to those unseen.  Lazy, sleeping lions transform from looking like cuddly stuffed animals to ferocious stalkers of anything that moves. Hunger calls them to action, stealthy and relentless in their pursuit. Owls waken, looking for bu...

A Baboon Family

  A Baboon Family This baboon family makes me happy. The setting is peaceful, all four calmly sitting on a rock, at rest. Except for the baby looking directly at our game vehicle with curiosity, the other three's eyes gazing elsewhere.  Despite their sharp as daggers canine teeth, nut-crushing jaws, naughty opportunistic foraging of camper's food, and a hierarchy of dominating male bullies, baboons can be quiet and peaceful, going about their daily business in a well-defined social order.  These old-world monkeys thrive in friend and family units; females form strong bonds to raise and protect the kids, forage for food, and stay loyal to the troop for their entire lives. Like human families, they comfort each other, play, and squabble but ultimately come together for the good of the community and protection from predators - for the most part. Yes, there's a bit of infanticide by the males, beating females for the heck of it, violently tossing little ones to the side when ...