Fotorassledovanie: The hunt for rhino horn

• Fotorassledovanie: The hunt for rhino horn

Photographer Brent Stirton, who became the winner of wildlife photos 2017 conducted its investigation, how the deadly business - the hunt for rhino horn.

The history of the fourth-largest in the South African National Park Hluhluwe-Umfolozi starts in 1985. Then the question was raised about the protection of rhinos from extinction on the territory of the Republic of South Africa. But to save the giants of geeks does not always work - the park zahazhivayut poachers.

This black rhino had been dead for 24 hours, when Brent Stirton photographed it. Later, an autopsy revealed that the bullet of a large caliber, fired from a powerful gun, passed through the body, leading to greater tissue damage. He did not die at once, and ran for some distance, and then fell to his knees. Next control shot to finish off was made directly in the head.

Black rhinos are endangered. According to estimates by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their number decreased by 97.6% since 1960. To all fault - the international trade in rhino horn. These horns are used in traditional medicine in South Korea, China and Vietnam, where they are regarded as a universal medicine, from cancer to kidney stones. And this despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence of the healing properties of rhinoceros horns. The first mention of the use of rhino horn are found more than 2,000 years, but the recent economic boom in Asia has had a catastrophic impact on the remaining rhinos in the world, all of these horns are more expensive than gold.

Horn consists of keratin - the same protein which forms human fingernails and hair. It grows from the skin and is not part of the skeleton of a rhinoceros.

South Africa - the main residence of rhinos, them there is 20 000. In 2016, due to the poachers did not become 1600 of these giants, and each year this figure is growing rapidly. For example, in 2006, it killed at least 20 animals. 10 years later - 1600 ...

Photographer Brent Stirton has documented poaching crisis on the border of Mozambique and South Africa. Daily invasion armed poachers led to the War of the rhinos in the Kruger National Park. The average length of life of a rhinoceros, which wanders on the Kruger Park border from Mozambique is ... just 24 hours.

There are in Africa and lone fighters for the well-being of rhinos. Thus, the photographer Brent Stirton Ranch visited the amazing John Hume - the largest in the world, "Rhinos owner." He spends more than 150 000 pounds a month on security and movement of animals from dangerous places, as well as for their maintenance. All at the ranch are already 1500 rhinos!

It is just the time to move the rhino dangerous section:

in the Horn of rhinoceros have to regularly trim them to become uninteresting poachers. Retained only 110 mm, this length makes it possible not to damage the tissue at the base of the horn. And so, rhinoceros horn typically grows and gains weight at a rate of 1 kg / year.

Here is a portion of the horn is cut off:

However, the ranch owner is also not easy. He actively promotes the idea of ​​legalization of international trade rhinoceros horns, because he already had collected and hidden away for more than five tons of horns. At current prices in the Asian market, this "collection" about $ 40 million. Critics horns trade argue that the legalization of business will create loopholes that will increase the number of rhino killings. However, the powerful lobby in Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland continue to push for the legalization of this activity.

A still photographer visited the NGO "Care of Wild Africa", which specializes in the care of injured animals. It is home to many small nosorozhikov whose mothers fell by poachers.

This kid named Lulu. She discovered the Rangers at the time when it was attacked by hyenas. They have bitten the little rhino's ears, the nose and left a heavy bite on the back of his right leg. But nothing, she will recover. And now in safety.