Jasper Pääkkönen Instagram – Today is #WorldRhinoDay. I was lucky enough to take photos of these white rhinos this past week in @ulusabagamereserve , Kruger National Park, South Africa. There are an estimated 17,212 to 18,915 white rhinos left, but in Africa, criminals killed more than 1,100 rhinos last year. And what is more disturbing, there are only 65-68 Javan rhinos and less than 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild. A quick Google search reveals some sad facts about rhinos that are illegally hunted and killed for their horns. According to The Guardian, ”the black market value of one kilogram (of rhino horn) is said to be USD 100,000—more than the price of platinum”. Firstpost.com writes about World Rhino Day: “From treating cancer and erectile dysfunction to managing hangovers, the horns of endangered wild rhinoceros are widely used as a medical cure-all in parts of Asia. A new Danish-Vietnamese study from the University of Copenhagen uncovers new reasons for why Vietnamese consumers buy illegal rhino horn,” a press release on the study said. “For us, the surprising trend is that horn is increasingly being used as a symbolic gesture to console terminally ill family members. The horns are intended to provide the ill with a final source of pleasure and to demonstrate that their families have done everything possible to help them”. The rhino horn is also used for treating hangovers and as a status symbol in business relations. Spreading awareness is crucial for the survival of the species. Please participate in protecting these majestic animals through organizations like @wildaid. #wildaid