Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War. The documentary was screened at Woordfees three days after the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Highlighting the dangers of purchasing wildlife products, the film remains relevant due to a crisis allegedly tracing its origins to a wildlife market in Wuhan. PHOTO: Vimeo.com
The conservation documentary, Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War, which screened during the recent Toyota US Woordfees, highlights the atrocities and dangers of human involvement in both illegal and legal wildlife trade, according to Sheelagh Antrobus, head of Project Rhino KZN and fellow of the Royal Geographic Society.
People should consider how humans have contributed not only to issues such as climate change and mass extinction, but also to the spread of dangerous new human pandemics caused by the consumption of wildlife products, said Antrobus.
Rhinos are hunted and killed illegally for their horn. Stroop debunks the myths surrounding the health benefits of the animal product and dives into the world of poaching and illegal wildlife trade. PHOTO: Hugh Chittenden
Antrobus’ warnings come during the global Covid-19 pandemic, with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website stating that the initial cases of Covid-19 “were linked to a live animal market”.
Similarly, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), as well as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), were also coronavirus strains found in animals that developed into outbreaks in human populations, according to the CDC.
“Everyone needs to be aware of how their own behaviour is impacting on the future of this planet we all call home and what legacy we are leaving for our children and grandchildren,” Antrobus said.
According to Antrobus, the need to “[keep] the rhino poaching issue in the public eye” remains important, as growing awareness can bring about the change needed to stop illegal trade.
Rhino cow and calf. The impacts of rhino poaching are explored in the film with the repercussions of illegal wildlife trade ranging from the orphaning of young rhinos to the negative implications of wildlife markets. PHOTO: Hugh Chittenden
Making use of multiple platforms, including documentaries such as Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War, will aid in making a profound impact on conservation, said Natalie de Wet, BSc Hons (Biodiversity and Ecology) student at Stellenbosch University and participant of both the World Youth Rhino Summit (2014) and the World Youth Wildlife Summit (2019).
“The more the public are exposed to documentaries such as Stroop, the more willing people will be to donate to conservation and take a stand against poaching, the illegal wildlife trade etc.,” said De Wet.