Rhino botflies: hidden victims of poaching

08/19/21 • 33 min

In the aftermath of wildlife crime, victims can pile up quickly. In this episode of Wild Crimes, we examine the fallout of southern white rhino poaching.

One of the victims is clear - the white rhino - but others can go unremarked on. However, dung beetles and tiny rhino botflies are suffering too. Rhinos are considered a keystone species, because their existence helps sculpt and shape landscapes and ecosystems.

When they are killed by poachers, all sorts of knock-on effects are triggered. Why is the protection of creatures like the rhino so important? How does the loss of keystone species affect an ecosystem, and why are we humans often overlooking the repercussions?

Join the discussion with Rebecca Drury, Head of Wildlife Trade for Flora and Fauna International and the Natural History Museum’s Dr Erica McAlister and Max Barclay.

To learn more about the hidden victims of wildlife crime and support the Natural History Museum’s work, visit nhm.ac.uk/wildcrimes

In the aftermath of wildlife crime, victims can pile up quickly. In this episode of Wild Crimes, we examine the fallout of southern white rhino poaching.

Join the discussion with Rebecca Drury, Head of Wildlife Trade for Flora and Fauna International and the Natural History Museum’s Dr Erica McAlister and Max Barclay.

To learn more about the hidden victims of wildlife crime and support the Natural History Museum’s work, visit nhm.ac.uk/wildcrimes

Previous Episode

Primates: eaten into extinction?

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Bushmeat, meat from wild animals, is an important source of protein for communities across the world.

But in some parts of the globe it has become an illegal or luxury item - and that's posing a problem, threatening ecosystems and human health simultaneously.

Five million tonnes of wild meat is extracted annually from the Congo basin, including critically endangered primates. Demand for meat from this part of the world is becoming unsustainable, with protected species often caught between hunters and their prey.

In this episode of Wild Crimes, join us for a in-depth discussion on how our food systems affect human health. With thanks to Prof Ben Garrod, the Museum's Dr Natalie Cooper, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) in Uganda and researcher Sandrella Morrison-Lanjouw.

Next Episode

What's the solution to wildlife crime?

Wildlife crime affects us all. Illegal trade happens in every corner of the planet, and its effects can be catastrophic for some animals and plants. But the tragedy goes beyond the loss of single species. It's clear our relationship with nature needs to change.

What can we do about wildlife crime? In this episode of Wild Crimes, we look to the future. What impact is wildlife crime having on nature? Should blanket bans be imposed on traders? And what can you do to help? Join Simangele Msweli, Senior Manager of the Youth Leadership Program at the African Wildlife Foundation; John E Scanlon, Former Secretary-General of CITES and Chair of the Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime; and Jorge Rios, Chief of the Wildlife & Forest Crime Programme at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Learn more about what you can do to protect nature at nhm.ac.uk/wildcrimes.