Tsavo East National Park in Kenya
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Imara, and her mother Miadi are fairly safe in their zoo environment and are helping us learn about breeding rhinos in captivity.
While the study and captive breeding of rhinos in zoos is important, the most successful rhinoceros preservation programs combine protected sanctuaries with education and outreach programs that employ local residents -- people who might otherwise be attracted by the money that poaching can bring.
Wild rhinos continue to be in serious danger of being killed for their horns. It is tempting to blame native poachers for killing so many rhinos and causing their populations to crash, but the real villains lurk in other parts of the world. In countries such as Yemen, rhino horn is made into dagger handles that are considered to be status symbols. In China, Taiwan, and Korea, rhino horn is ground up for use in traditional folk medicines. The people who buy these products support the dealers who have paid relatively large amounts of money to poachers for the horns.
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