South Africa’s gold and platinum might be doing well, but it is the rhino index that is going stratospheric. With 11 rhinos a week biting the dust and the horn going at $55 000 a kilogram, a lot of pockets are being lined.
Last week local activists publicly ruffled some feathers with an advert that asks how the Chinese would feel if Africans — mistakenly believing it to have medicinal value — started hacking off that cute little button nose of their national symbol, the endangered Giant Panda.
This week it was Big Bertha, posthumously, that briefly made it into the media limelight. Once the favourite rhinoceros of visitors to Dabchick nature reserve in Limpopo, Bertha was on Tuesday found shot and her horn axed off, while at her side her one-month calf wailed and tried to nurse from the carcass.
What a lucky, blessed, calf! It at least survived. For now. In most cases, the calf, too, is killed and the nub removed.
Foreign superstitions combined with local need make for an unhappy equation. And then there is plain old greed. Many of the recent SA arrests for rhino poaching have involved white game farmers and veterinarians. Not groups that can claim as mitigation the exigencies of poverty.
But it is not only the lumbering rhinoceros that is being targeted by the Chinese. Next door, President Robert Mugabe’s Look East policy and the consequent influx of thousands of Chinese nationals to visit and work in Zimbabwe have had a disastrous effect on that country’s wildlife.
At the top end of the scale it is the elephant and rhino that are being chopped for tusks and horn. At the bottom end of the scale it is pangolins and baby tortoises that are being snacked on.
William Nduku, the director of Wildlife Environment Zimbabwe, last week told a press briefing that Chinese nationals were a ‘major cause of concern’ in the Mukuvisi Woodlands outside Harare. On the pretext of visiting the baby tortoises, they were stuffing these protected animals into their pockets for later consumption.
Conservation staff made several arrests but it appears that once handed over to the police, the would-be tortoise munchers were released without charge. In response, Nduku has come up with a low-tech but innovative solution: ‘What we now do is that we provide the Chinese with an escort team whenever they come here.’
It’s not only Zimbabwe’s wildlife that is disappearing down the visitors’ gullets. It’s domestic animals, too.
According to the Financial Gazette, two upmarket Harare restaurants are being investigated on allegations of animal abuse involving the consumption of cats and dogs. In recent years there have been several incidents where villagers were up in arms over Chinese miners stealing their dogs and eating them.
Ed Lanca, national chairman of Zimbabwe Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says that problem is two-fold: ‘Although there are no specific laws to prohibit the consumption of certain types of non-protected species, it is the manner in which the animals are killed that is disturbing.’
Lanca explained that the dogs are hung from trees and beaten to death. The Chinese believe hanging and beating the dogs induces adrenalin, which helps to tenderise the meat.
‘Globally, the Chinese do not respect animal rights. Animal rights organisations worldwide are working with them in addressing this problem,’ says Lanca.
Some five million Chinese citizens work abroad, increasingly in Africa, and that is forecast to rise to 100m by 2020. Since the consumption of exotic foods is a Chinese status symbol, African wildlife is going to be under increasing pressure.
The Vietnamese killed their last Javan rhinoceros in 2010. Now they and their Chinese neighbours are coming to a conservation area near you. Its take-away time.
why can we not spread the news that eating a Chinese is delicacy and improves your sexual performance??
Great thinking, Benzo!
We could serve this delicacy with ‘rice to the occasion’.
This kind of fabricated sensationalism is what fuels xenophobia and violence against Chinese in Africa.William Saunderson Meyer chooses to demonize the Chinese for their “love of exotic meat” in spite of this being an age old decadent practice among the rich in the west too – exotic meats, fancy leather goods, perfumes, artworks, hunting expeditions etc, – but you will never hear William protesting any of this!
The growing number of articles in mainstream media negatively stereotyping the Chinese is yet another a new form of racism propagated by the usual suspects. Of course William never fails to take a dig at Zimbabaweans as well – his other fixation.
Well Dave H you have my support. One mans practice is anothers abhorence although my own background is unfortunately typically western. The latter sends tons of waste into the environment without a thought and the resulting loss of species diversity like with the mining by our big names and the their acid mine water. The typical support of zenophobia by the media which negatively affects very small minorities to gain more readership of the equally brain dead is really very exploitative and cowardly and comes down through generations of brain washing. One has to pity them as they often are totally ignorant and insensitive to anyone but shareholders.
@David Harris. What satirical responses attempt are to deflate the ego of those with too much power who are causing havoc. The Chinese clearly have too much power, just like the Europeans have had (the reason why these animals are in short supply as of now – “heroes” such as Selous and Hemingway and countless others) and still have (mining – west papua, nigeria, rampant urban development, desertification, salinisation). Or the Japanese (see whales and rain forests).
You are correct that those elements need to be controlled within European culture – that however does not mean that we turn rose-tinted glasses towards the Chinese. They are the new rising colonial power and have all the greed and selfishness (as well as good intentions) as the rest of us. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The Chinese are highly successful. Their country have low crime rate, have had exponential economical growth, and have great school systems – some of the smartest people in the world.
It’s not the chinese that’s causing the rhinos to dissappear. It’s the South African farmers / poachers that are poaching for them because the South African government under the ANC did not provide decent paying jobs as they had promised. So its no surprise that some people decide to resort to selling off the prized animals to make an extra buck.
@Bloom how short-sighted can you get? The Chinese are the (huge) demand side of the equation, if you can kill that the supply side doesn’t matter anymore. So it IS the Chinese causing this massacre of our rhinos. This ‘successful’ nation, filled with 1.5 billion people are the locusts of the world, when they leave no wildlife is left! Now we read they beat dogs to death before they eat them.. Chinese take-away indeed.
I won’t eat Chinese food again.
Money!….The root of all evil, and a God to many!
The Praetor
The majority of educated Chinese people would also abhor the despicable practices described in the article. Most educated Chinese youth would also not participate in these things. However, we are talking about a country with the population of a continent. The type of Chinese that do these things are either very poor migrant workers or business people who are better off now but largely come from backgrounds of deprivation originally. There is a cultural component to this, but there is also an unhappy relationship to food, caused by living through the worst famine in human history and the terrors of the cultural revolution. They are well off but eat like starving people, without any regard for the suffering of the animals. Their government has turned them (this older generation of between around forty to sixty) into people who have no regard for rules, when they are enforced arbitrarily anyway. They are poorly educated because the cultural revolution halted education for an extended period. They do not believe or accept anything that an authority tells them and will find ways to circumvent it. They don’t even believe that smoking is really that bad for you, despite governmental campaigns. Yet, they are also the opportunists who were in their prime of life during the eighties and unleashed the Chinese economic juggernaut. China is recovering from a national trauma, and only education and communication can solve this in the long run. Demonizing them will make it worse…
But China is changing: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/yang_lan.html
Apart from the horrific murder of sentient beings with whom we share this world, it made me sick to my stomach to read how domestic animals (cats and dogs – who give us unconditional love and protection) are ‘tenderized’ by being unconscionably tortured before killing them to eat.
I wonder how many Christians have read this:
“Wherefore I say to all those who desire to be disciples, Keep your hands from bloodshed and let no flesh meat enter your mouths, for the Lord is just and bountiful; who ordains that man shall live by the fruits and seeds of the earth alone.” Jesus, Gospel of the Nazirenes, Chapter 38, Verse 4
The same applies to all other ‘religions’ that continue to absolve and condone the murder of earthly beings; and pretend that the slaughter of innocent animals and the eating of animal flesh is anything else than perpetuating uncivilised barbarism disguised by the nom de plume ‘religion’.
” the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Here are a few more to digest:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Gandhi (1869-1948)
As long as humans continue to be the ruthless destroyer of other beings, we will never know health or peace. As long as people massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, those who sow the seed of murder and pain will never reap joy or love.” Pythagoras
I, marvel at which man was possessed, who was the first to pollute his mouth, and to allow his lips to touch the flesh of murdered beings.
How could his eyes endure the spectacle of the flayed and dismembered limbs?
How was his taste not sickened by contact with festering wounds, and with the pollution of corrupted blood and juices?
There is nobody that is willing to eat even a lifeless and a dead thing even as it is.
So they boil it, roast it, and alter it by fire and medicines, as it were, changing and quenching the slaughtered gore … so that the palate be thereby deceived .
” Plutarch” (Greek biographer 100 C.E.)
dashafa, I think your comment comes closest to an understanding of the demand side of this. For once, astonishingly, I also agree with Dave Harris.
Bloom, wherever did you get the idea that Chinese school systems are great? They are better than South Africa (in general) but not by much. The schools here also work any inclination to creativity or independent thought to ash.It takes an exceptional person to rise above this.
I would also advise caution in evaluating the “exponential growth” without looking at the proportion of cheaply financed property development vis-a-vis GDP. That party has been ended by the Party.This may cause a slowdown that I estimate will bring it in line with SA GDP growth if the stats aren’t fiddled. Even so, with so many people, the growth is astonishing.
You are only completely correct about the low crime rate, although if South African law were applied, it would be stratospheric.
Mr. Saunderson-Meyer, I usually agree with much of what you say. This article sounded somewhat “geel gevaar” to me. By all means, deal with the demand side. This needs to be done. I will be speaking to the mayor of my city soon and will raise the issue. However, I believe you have tarred a small minority here with a very large brush.
- from a South African in Northern China
By the time we wake up, the Chinese will have colonised up.
AN ANAGRAM:
LIVE, VILE, EVIL
The deception
Of an killing any animal
Bar self-preservation
Is vile
The act
Of killing that which is live
For sport or torture
Is evil
Murdering any being
That is sentient
Gorging on its dead flesh
Saying it’s a nutrient
Is evil
Live and let live:
To kill is evil
To kill and eat it
Is vile and evil
@dashafa,
A few years ago, the majority of Chinese believed that animals do not feel pain. So many horrors are carried out, fish scaled while alive, ducks feet cooked on a hot stove while still attached to the live duck, live monkey brains being eaten while the live monkey is trussed up with the top of it’s head sliced off ( Google is if you don’t believe it, you can probably get YouTube videos showing this ). These practices have carried on for many centuries.
A few years ago a Western based animal rights organization operated in China, with the sole purpose of educating Chinese that animals do feel pain and that animal cruelty is wrong.
Oh yes, the Koreans also beat dogs to death, in a canvas bag, to make the meat tastier. Alternatively, they slowly suffocate the dog to death, over 10-15 minutes.
The Japanese are not innocent either. One delicacy that wealthy Japanese tourists were reported enjoying somewhere was to let a bear dance on hot coals, and then chunks of it’s paws would be cut off to be eaten while it was still alive. Probably a cultural practice going back centuries too.
@Harris: I’ve read a number of your (cookie-cutter) posts and they all have the same theme; a bit like a stuck record. The reality is, the new colonialists are only too happy to do ‘business’ in Africa, as they appear to carry interesting brown envelopes to ensure deals get done. Sadly, unlike colonialism in the past, this is happening with Africa’s consent. Of course when it all goes pears, as it most certainly will, it’ll be our children’s problem right? Live in the now and all that….
What I can conclude is that Harris doesn’t give a bleeding hoot about a looming environmental catastrophe facing the country. I suppose rhinos are completely unimportant. They don’t have interesting brown envelopes.
Not sure about educated Chinese abhorring animal cruelty.
There is a YouTube clip recorded in a supermarket in a Chinatown in California, USA. It shows a live tortoise on display, with most of it’s back shell sliced off. It’s innards and organs are visible. One shopper touches it’s head, to check if it’s stil alive, I guess. Or maybe to torment it.
To add to my previous comment ….
As a ‘means to an end, the killing of animals according to ‘halaal’ or ‘kosher’ dictates, advocates the method in which the murder should take place.
Surely the ultimate sin: the murder of innocent animals under the guise of it being ‘holy’
This is a joke right??? Oops
I remember watching a programme where dogs in China were bred and exported alive in sub-animal conditions, for their pelts. They kept them alive for as long as possible to keep the pelts “fresh”. I think Paul McCartney was an activist against this practise. When asked why they do not stop the cruel practice they retorted saying that it was the fault of the west who demand these pelts!
I guess we will not stop the demand so, we Africans (yes all of us Africans) must stop the supply side of the rhino horn business.
I dont think Ive read even one of Dave Harris’ comments where he has not saddled the old hollow backed racist mule.
Just for once, Dave, try and be orriginal.
@ Paleface. Absolutely agree!
He is a troll. He never adds any constructive comment. He never fails to make rude, racist references.
Quote: “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.”
Reacting by believing that ALL chinese people do this is a reflection of the believer.
A gross exaggeration and stereotyping.
Not exactly bizarre…!!!
The south african”take away”at buffets is warthog,zebra ,giraffe,ostrich and crocodile.
Whilst veterinary schools in south africa have future vets who have hunting clubs.
In the “black” townships and rural areas its not uncommon for residents to eat mopani worms,offal,rats and even dogs.
Whilst traditional doctors or sangomas springing up in almost every suburb brag
of using human body parts of albinos to treat bad luck.
So would this make us believe every south african does the above….?????
A smug article to put it mildly.
@Oldfox: Thanks for your reply. I conceded in my original post that there is a cultural component to all of this, a tolerance for the abuse of animals, which probably goes back to certain customs. Thus, as you say, you can walk into a supermarket and see animals being kept in unacceptable conditions. I think there are still those who believe animals cannot feel pain – but I think these are really ignorant types who lack education. The organisation you speak of probably works mainly in China’s poor areas. While many educated Chinese are not as sensitized to animal cruelty as their western counterparts, I don’t see them indulging in the worst abuses you have described. If it does happen, it is usually the older generation or the deprived communities (where I have seen dogs hanging on nails at the side of the road).The Chinese educated youth are even less likely to do these things, and I know from screening films like ‘Food Inc.’ to university students, that many react with horror at the treatment of the animals in the film. However, what is required is the development of an environment where rights of all kinds can be respected, and this extends beyond animal rights. Chinese people have been denied so much that they are now only waking up to the injustice of their own situations. If an overall respect for life is not fostered in this country, all of us will have to live with the consequences.
Said it before and I’ll say it again. Humans are the lowest form of creature on this planet and deserve to become extinct themselves. The planet will be better off without them and their idiotic behaviour. If God made us then he really screwed up big time. This planet does not need humans anywhere near it. There is no end to the sheer insanity and stupidity of the human race. They do not deserve to survive and indeed they will not. Extinction is on the way.
@peter – spot on
@dashafa,
I’d like to believe what you are stating, but I am skeptical. I know a medical doctor of Chinese descent, who ate live monkey brains in a Hong Kong restaurant about 5 years ago, much to the horror of his wife. It is well known that Western tourists also indulge in this barbaric practice, in China and the Phillipines.
I’m quite sure that educated Chinese eat a certain type of fish that has been cooked alive and it is still alive when brought to the table.
Google ( cooking a fish that is still alive ) and you will get links of YouTube videos of these.
I did a Google search to find out what young Chinese think about animal cruelty. The search however only brought up more horror stories.
Horses goaded to fight to the death.
http://tinyurl.com/butt7ks
Mother bear kills cub, and then commits suicide to spare cub the agony of having bile harvested from it’s liver.
http://tinyurl.com/3bc65dr
@Oldfox: Those stories are horrific! I would like to point out though that they do not disprove my original points. These things do continue to happen in China, but, if you look at where they happen and who the majority of the protagonists are, you cannot then extrapolate that to a general trend in the whole of Chinese society. My point about ignorance and poverty holds for the most part. I just feel that allowing people to think that this is all that represents China is counterproductive, even to the resolution of this problem. There are no doubt that Chinese need to be more sensitized to the cruelty that happens in their own country – and this is happening. People are also taking tremendous risks as whistle-blowers and activists to expose abuse (see my video link above). As pointed out in the article, as many as 100 million will be working abroad by 2020. We don’t need them to be met with prejudice and hatred but rather with constructive engagement, if we are going to reduce the incidence of these atrocities in any way. We will need to help them find out about their country, because their own government is spinning a fantasy about benevolent Chinese doing good abroad. We don’t understand them or their complex modern history; we need to learn before we judge.
@dashaf,
The doctor and his wife mentioned above are friends of ours. I have a few friends from mainland China, who live there, or who are based there. I visited China few times. I may decide to learn Mandarin.
Yes, Chinese do need to be educated about animal cruelty and animal rights.
The Romans outgrew they craving for barbaric, murderous gladiator sports, so there is hope for those Chinese ( or their children ) who still are unbelievably cruel to animals.
But, it could take time. Many Spaniards see nothing wrong in torturing a bull to death in a public spectacle. Old habits sometimes die hard.
South Africa yesterday got a new angle on rape…this takes the south african moral decay to a new level….
In Zimbabwe, farms companies and mines we took from whites of mostly British descent, we give to whites of Chinese descent. So, where is the difference? Is colonialism better because it comes from the east? At the rate Chinese are coming to Africa – soon black Africans will be a minority here, same as red Indians in America. And, you want to blame Zuma for a marrying spree? Time to join ranks and make up for the demographic numbers.
@Tarupiwa
Breeding is not the answer.
If you don’t have the resources to give your children a good life, don’t have children. If you are in those circumstances and choose to breed its an incredibly selfish act. You just end up with more poor people, and empoverish yourself further.
You weaken yourselves, give the Chinese more desperate people to exploit.
The problem is Mugabe and other leaders have sold out to the Chinese, in the same way as their ancestors sold out to the “Westerners” – beads and trinkets, chief enriched. not a thought for the people.
And you thought the British were bad?
you have another thing coming with the Chinese.
Africa will not know what has hit it.