South African Musical Educates Kids About Rhinoceros Poaching

How do you teach children about endangered animals and the horrors of poaching?

Its certainly a difficult topic, but one about which kids should learn.

Rhino Poaching is explored in a Kids Musical (image from Martin Pettit on Flickr)

In South Africa, a new musical educates kids about rhinoceros poaching and why its harmful to these endangered animals.  The musical play, entitled “African Adventure,” tells the story of a rhino couple that is torn apart by poachers.

It may be difficult to imagine the topic of illegal hunting explored in a children’s play.  But the show’s plot is simple and straightforward.  When poachers capture “Rachel” to harvest her horn, and attempt to lure “Ricky” to rescue her, so they can take his horn, as well, other animals come to the rescue.  The personalities of the giraffe, ostrich and monkey delight the young audiences and the play has a happy ending.

However, in real life the perils faced by rhinos from poaching are serious.  Without educational efforts like this musical in South Africa, the story of the rhinoceros may not end as well.

Rhinoceros poaching is the illegal killing of these endangered animals.  It is fueled by demand for rhino horn in Asian markets because consumers believe that the horns have valuable medicinal properties.  In the past 5 years, the rates of poaching have risen from 13 cases to 333 in 2010.  So far in 2011, the rate of rhino poaching in South Africa is about 1 animal per day.  On the black market, a single horn is worth thousands of dollars.

Only a fraction of the original population of hundreds of thousands of rhinoceros in 1900 remain today.  About 21,000 rhinos are left in South Africa.

Educational efforts like the South African musical can help future generations.  But today, efforts are needed both on the side of enforcement and demand.  Rhinoceros poaching will continue to diminish remaining animals unless meaningful conservation and protection efforts are made.