“The only way to save a rhinoceros is to save the environment in which it lives, because there’s a mutual dependency between it and millions of other species of both animals and plants.”
Cheat sheet: The first World Rhinoceros Day was celebrated throughout the world in 2010. The day was initiated by the World Wildlife Fund, as WWF was then called; the organizational body is now called the Worldwide Fund for Nature. For a time the acronym WWF was more closely associated in most people’s minds as the World Wrestling Federation. As the real WWF predated the wrestling federation, the wildlife conservation organization took the wrestling group to court for copyright/name infringement, aka misrepresentation. The wildlife group argued in court that, as fundraising is a crucial part of the WWF’s role in animal conservation, any association with a pro wrestling body could harm it in fundraising efforts. People are easily confused. Besides, the wildlife group got there first.
In the end, the wildlife body won its court case, surprising more than a few observers. The wrestling group has been rebranded as WWE — World Wrestling Entertainment — though, where entertainment is concerned, that’s a matter of opinion, is it not?
Of the various rhino species, Javan rhinos, Sumatran rhinos and black rhinos are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). That’s why recent news reports of a pair of Javan rhino calves in the wild made news headlines around the world.
Realists know, however, that a pair of calves — while welcome news — is hardly a turning point in the species’ survival.
Other facts: Rhinos have poor eyesight, it is true.
That is compensated for by other senses: Rhinos can hear and smell over distances of up to 30 metres.
Rhinos enjoy a symbiotic relationship with oxpeckers. The oxpeckers stand on rhinos’ backs and feed on parasitic ticks. In exchange for a safe place to rest, not to mention the occasional light snack, oxpeckers raise the alarm when they sense danger, alerting their host to possible trouble. Rhinos do not have any natural enemies in the wild but, as with people, some species are known to be thoroughly unpleasant and are best avoided.
Rhino horn is not ivory; it is made of keratin. Keratin is the same substance of which human hair and fingernails are made. Many people in China and Southeast Asia haven’t grasped that yet.
Rhinos mark their territory by defecating around themselves. Now you know.
A group of rhinos is called a crash, which is silly and absurd. Male rhinos are called bulls, while females are called cows. Calling a group of rhinos a crash is bullshit, as most people know, deep down.
The world is full of problems right now. Rhino survival is probably not at the top of many people’s lists of priorities. As with anything that old and majestic and fascinating, though, the world is better off with them than without them.
Happy World Rhino Day.
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