Deemed dispensible
by |… Everything is expendable – people, animals, language, customs,

the death of a language and death of a people
livelihoods – when these get in the way of a development for profit…
..A few days ago I received an email alert from the Guardian telling me that the last female rhino had been killed in Krugersdorp Park in South Africa. After hacking its horn, the female was left to bleed to death – cruelly and coldly. I feel unforgiving towards those that did this horrible thing. Last year 129 rhinos were killed and in the first six months of 2010 another 136 have already been killed – all for their horns.

This particular rhino, who I have decided to call ‘Skylady’ is survived by her ‘distraught’ calf who is now living with two other orphans of mothers killed in this way.
I am trying to think of how I can connect this death, borne of greed and a desire by men to experience some mythical sexual pleasure, to other acts of violence against women, children and men. Both animals and humans have been displaced for the same reasons by transnational corporations, corrupt governments and wars over national resources.
There are hundreds of endangered mammals, birds, fish and reptiles; probably the most worrying are the disappearing bees, without which we and every other living creature may also disappear sooner than later. Bees are seriously important:……./continued