The effect of the human impact
The effect of animal poaching of rhinos
Animal poaching has made a huge impact on the rhinos population. From the years 2007-2014 South Africa experienced an exponential rise in rhino poaching, which had growth over 9,000%. South Africa alone had 1,215 rhinos poached in the year 2014, which was the most out of all the years. In the year 2013, it spread from South Africa to other countries. Poaching of the rhinos and decreased their population and caused them to be at high risk of extinction.
Animal poaching has caused a huge decrease in the rhino population causing them to be near in extinction. This human impact is causing a whole species to disappear causing the ecosystem to get out of hand. Since rhinos are a keystone species other species depend on them to survive, because they play a role in the ecosystem and every role of a species is important for the ecosystem. Meaning that they are all needed even if it is a small part because of other species needing it to survive. To conclude, without rhinos this will impact the ecosystem which will also affect the environment.
"Only when the last of the Animals Horns, Tusks, Skin and Bones are sold, will Mankind realize that Money can never buy back our Wildlife.".. Wild at Heart
Why should we care?
Rhinos are keystone species, which means that they are important to the environment, so when poachers started to poach them their populations started to decrease. This leads them to be at a high risk of being extinct causing the ecosystem to be out of order which might lead to other species to be endangered. According to Trisha Wardlow "Rhinos are mega-herbivores, the lawn maintenance crew of the savanna. Their job to the ecosystem is to carve out paths for other creatures (eating), make water holes (digging), and to help germinate plants (defecating)." meaning that when they eat, they help other living species by giving them clear paths to migrate, make water holes for they can drink from, and defecating plants to eat. Finally, it may be concluded that other species might suffer or seize to survive without rhinos in the environment.