Bad Medicine

In 2012, my son inspired me to draw a rhinoceros, one of his favorite animals. I ventured to study the animal and was horrified to learn about illegal rhino poaching. The images of decapitated, scalped, tortured and macerated rhino heads and faces for the purpose of harvesting their horns for Chinese Traditional Medicine just horrified and angered me. Instead of illustrating "cute" and "charming" rhino drawings, I decided to express my disgust for the abomination of illegal rhino poaching. There are only 5 extant rhino species and in 2010, the last Vietnamese Javan rhino was poached, rendering it extinct in Vietnam. 2013 was the bloodiest year for rhino poaching when 700 rhinos were killed in Africa. More bloodcurdling information is this - "A survey of 720 people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City published earlier this month, found that typical buyers were "educated, successful and powerful individuals" and use rhino horn as currency in networking." Yet, above all these are the efforts of many organizations and individuals who work hard to save the rhino. 2013 was a very good year for Nepal, there was zero poaching of rhino, elephant or tiger. This is remarkable considering that Nepal borders China and is near Vietnam. God save these sentient animals and help those who help save them. These individual pen and ink illustrations measure 14"x17" on Paris Paper.

Chinese Traditional Medicine is bad medicine. It is superstitious, unscientific and unfounded. It prescribes the use of rhino horn, pangolin scales, bear claws, and other animal parts without any scientific foundation. Rhino horn and pangolin scales are not medicine. They are made of keratin, the same material found in human nails.

China is the number one consumer of illegally poached rhino horns in Africa, India, Indonesia and elsewhere where rhinos roam. Their economic boom has enabled wealthy Chinese citizens to pay for as much as $35,000.00 for every rhino horn. "A survey of 720 people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City published earlier this month, found that typical buyers were "educated, successful and powerful individuals" and use rhino horn as currency in networking." http://www.savetherhino.org/latest_news/news/807_new_research_shows_insights_into_vietnamese_rhino_horn_consumers

Rhino horn is not medicine. It is made of keratin, the same material found in human nails.

Rhino horn is not an aphrodisiac. It does not make one a better lover. It will not enlarge or lengthen a penis.

The hope for the future of conservation and protection of sentient animals such as the rhino, elephant, pangolin and tigers, rests in the hands of individuals and citizens, family units, mothers and fathers who teach their children to be better guardians of the animals entrusted in their care.

May the children know better than their parents and do the right thing...

...so that they will be able to save the rhino. What kind of culture will allow the savagery of poaching sentient animals to extinction and worship symbols of longevity? Whose longevity?