Rhino revolution: Searching for new solutions

Clive Walker has many years’ experience in the field of rhino conservation within southern Africa. Author of the bestselling, Rhino Keepers, 2012, Jacana Media, he has once again come up with a fresh, new look at the ongoing rhino crisis. The rhino ‘war’ in South Africa has entered its 10th year, and last year saw 662 rhino killed in Kruger alone - and over 1000 in total for South Africa. We are heading for 7000 by year end. How is South Africa going to sustain the cost of securing rhino in the socio/political/economic climate that prevails at present? This is not likely to change anytime soon for the belief continues to persist that the enemy lies elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Clive Walker believes that the problem actually lies in South Africa’s own backyard, and the book deals with this aspect in some detail. We have to shift from the negative to an element of the positive. People are losing hope, are exhausted and tired of dead and dying rhino. But in spite of the on-going slaughter, there is some optimism, due to the excellent work being undertaken by the state and the private sector at many levels in security, tourism, community involvement and environmental education, as well as NGO support. There are no easy solutions to this battle, but all is not lost. It is the opinion of the authors that the private rhino owner, often working in cooperation with the state, will emerge as a key factor in the struggle to win the war. In order to have a victory, we need to have a battle. The time has come when one has to be ‘soft enough to wear silk and tough enough to slay the dragon’. Moving to Save the Rhino testifies to the many people doing just that.