BATTLEGROUND: RHINO WARS: Saving the Rhinoceros from Extinction

 

Eyal Donath, Communications Intern with Animal Planet, reports on rhino poachings and how the new series Battleground: Rhino Wars is joining the fight.

There are only approximately 4,200 rhinos left in the wild today.  Of those, 633 were poached in 2012 and as of February 2013, 96 have already been killed.  A magnificent race of creatures is literally being decimated and on the verge of extinction — only because they possess a horn which is mistakenly believed to have the power to cure just about anything. 

With rhino horns currently being valued at about twice the price of gold on the black market, poachers in the renowned Kruger National Park in South Africa will stop at nothing to murder these animals.

But help is on the way!  In the new series BATTLEGROUND: RHINO WARS, four current and former members of the U.S. Special Ops (Navy SEALs and a Green Beret) have been recruited and brought into South Africa to assist the security teams on the ground. Together, they will survey the terrain, train the anti-poaching corps, exchange tactical information and go on the front lines to help defeat these ruthless criminals before the rhinos are brought to total extinction. These “soldiers of extinction” are led by Craig “Saw,” team leader, Navy SEAL (fmr.), and includes Jeff “Biggs,” sniper, Navy SEAL (fmr.); Rob Roy, intel, Navy SEAL (ret.); and “Oz,” medic, Green Beret.

We've kept these brave men busy in New York the last 24 hours to help promote the show. Just this morning, the guys were featured on the Today Show and Fox & Friends where they shared their experiences and raised the public’s awareness of poaching in South Africa. 

Catch video from their NYC tour below and make sure to tune-in to Animal Planet tonight at 9 PM (ET/PT) for the premiere of BATTLEGROUND: RHINO WARS.

 

 

Comments

[Jen Hofmann]

I WISH YOU COULD JUST SHOOT THOSE POACHERS. WE NEED A MUCH HIGHER FINE AND PRISONER TIME.
SUCH BS. JEN

[Jen Hofmann]

I am so proud of all of you. Its really pathetic how our race can kill everything and think nothing of it. It makes me so sick. Animals have more soul's than some people.
Jen H

[carrie]

I agree that it may not be a simple task for our soldiers over there to stop all poaching. At least they can put a dent in it maybe. I agree it may take 5 yrs. to get to know the bush of Africa for a normal person but our ops teams learn about all forms of terraine and the African bush is no exception!!!!

[greg]

This show and its premise are what is absolutely necessary to get the message out about the ignorance of people that think a rhino horn will cure their cancer or other ailments. The days of educating the local population about not killing the rhino are over and did not work as long as there is a demand. It is better to save the rhino through a display of force than to try to change the thinking of millions of people who live in the past. Please continue this vital show so that it may influence others to join the cause.

[AfricaCries]

Roland Vincent from Africa Cries responded to the story of US Navy seals in South Africa; I have no problem in the anti poaching units who are doing a great job at present getting help from anywhere in the world and I am grateful for their help and of coarse the experience they will bring.

However, to think that the help of the navy seals is going to stop the killing is completely wrong, it must be understood the African bush with its animals takes years for a human to adapt to be able to live in, to become a professional guide or hunter in the African bush takes 5 years, so to think that the US navy seals just walking into the African bush is going to correct the problem is far from correct. They will be the ones that will have to be trained in the African bush by our own teams that are out there trying to slow the killing, as long as there is poverty and corruption a commodity of this type and demand will be a target from all international criminal elements.

Guns and Bullets is not the solution - Awareness and Education is!

View our documentaries on www.youtube.com/user/AfricaCries and follow up on www.facebook.com/AfricaCriesFilmProductionLtd to see how we can change this insane killing of the Rhinos.

[JB]

Suggestion; While I was stationed in New Mexico they had a project where they were re-populating the African Oryx as it's numbers in Africa had been nearly decimated. The program was such a success that they soon became over populated and were being shipped back to Africa and hunted to control them. Would it not be possible therefore to do the same or something similar with the rhino and even possibly elephant who are also brutally hunted for their tusks?

[Ted]

How do I join? I'm former 10th Mountain Division Infantryman machine gun team leader with a tour in Afghansistan during OPs Anaconda and Polar Harpoon (yeah the very beginning)and security missions in Kuwait, who enjoys long walks with heavy rucks and 80lbs of gear(and a sense of humor to boot). Master Machine Gunner and Airborne Qualified and expert in every weapon system I ever touched. I have a degree from Temple in Broadcast Telecommunications and can shoot with a camera as well as I can shoot with a gun. I also have security experience in the private sector. I get extreme pleasure in defending those who can't defend themselves especially wildlife

[MJ Hinchman]

livia sklar - you apparently did not watch carefully and the whole program. They only left their weapons for an intial walk with the warden who was armed. When patrol time came they were all very visibly armed which is part of the plan to scare off poachers

[D.E. Weaver]

I was not sure I'd be able to watch this show ...there were parts that were very tough to watch, other parts were very educational and some parts were actually funny. Anyway, I did make it through the whole show and I think what these men are doing to try and save the rhinos is amazing. I only hope this show will get more and more people to join in the fight to stop the poaching (slaughter) of this amazing species. I would also like to know what happened to the baby on the commercial.... and I also agree that commercial is HEARTBREAKING!

[Carrie]

I have a similar question as enlightenme59; are the orphaned calves left to nature, ie, losing more rhinos, or is there a way to somehow protect them while leaving them wild? Thank you.

[enlightenme59]

Please tell me that the baby rhino mourning it's dead mother was rescued. I cannot bear to see the commercial and if there was someone there to film it's obvious distress, they made sure this baby was safe and taken care of. If it was not rescued, but only filmed to generate interest in the new show, I will do what I can to make sure that everyone is aware of it. I also wish they would stop showing this commercial. There are times I really have a hard time getting past the cruelty of humans. In those moments, I'm ashamed to be one.

[livia sklar]

this series is a joke. how can you send in seals and green berets and then take away their weapons? your promos make it look like they'll be able to shoot the poachers, but then they're told to leave their weapons at home? the laws of the government of south africa preventing poaching are a joke and an insult to people who truly care about saving the rhinos.

[michael corradino]

Hello TEAM,
I am interested if you have positions available to help out:) I have a great passion for helping innocent wild life that are endangered and I would love an opportunity to join the team in Africa and assist. I have my doctorate in acupuncture and oriental medicine and have been practicing natural medicine clinically for 18yrs. I have also been a student of various martial arts and weapons training for more then 20yrs. I am very healthy and easy to get along with, a real team player, and very resourceful:) Thanks for your time and effort.

Best,
Mike