It is World Rhino Day!

[Karen]

In celebration of #worldrhinoday - here is my picture petting a rhinoceros - and feeding him apple quarters - at the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park!

http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=58646&d=1411414703

[Karen]

You can see his mouth is wet - they have really poor eyesight, so to feed him chunks of apple, he'd basically end up sliming my entire arm.


Here's a slideshow of pretend Rhinos at the park:
https://twitter.com/sdzsafaripark/status/514135523330633728/photo/1

[cassiesmom]

I didn't know until I looked up the rhinoceros on line, but they are at risk of poaching for their horns, which are used in Eastern medicine. There is a movement to help protect them from poaching in Africa - they treat the rhino's horn with an anti-parasitic that makes it ineffective for use in Eastern medicine. It doesn't harm the rhino at all.

[Karen]

It is so sad, the African Black Rhino is extinct, but efforts are being made to conserve the white rhino.

It is so stupid, as their horns are essentially the same material as cow horns, and our fingernails! Nothing medicinal about 'em!