Spirit led me to draw the rhinoceros
totem because of they are on the endangered species list and they are being
poached for their horns just as the elephant is being killed for ivory tusks. The
horns are poached and sold on the black market for People believing
that grinding up the horns and consuming it has therapeutic properties. The
horns are made of the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.
The rhinoceros is an ancient animal
and their lineage can be traced back to the Miocene period (6 mya). The
rhinoceros is a powerful animal with a thick skin. The rhino wants us to let
what others say bounce off of us instead of letting ourselves be wounded.
Rhinoceros is a solitary animal and
teaches how to be comfortable with in your own self.
The Rhino often gives its totem people insight into their own past lives.
People with a Rhino totem have a heightened sense of smell. The sense of smell
is symbolic of higher discrimination, spiritual idealism and higher wisdom and
Rhino gives all of these to their totem people.
Discriminate and don’t look at appearance only, go beyond and trust your intuition.
Ancient Wisdom Know thyself Trust your inner wisdom Discriminate
Rhinoceros facts
- There are 2 species of African rhino and 1 species of
Asian rhino, 1 species of Javan rhino
- Rhinos can gallop up to 30 miles per hour
- Black rhino population down 97.6% since 1960
Members of the rhinoceros family are characterized
by their large size as well as by an herbivorous
diet; a thick protective skin, relatively small brains for mammals this size and
a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although they may survive on
more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. The two African species of rhinoceros
lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful premolar
and molar teeth to grind up plant food.
The African rhino is divided into two species, the
black rhino and the white rhino. White rhinos mainly live in South Africa, but
they have also been reintroduced to Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.
Southern white rhinos have been introduced to Kenya, Zambia, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The majority of the black rhino population—98%—is concentrated in four
countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. South Africa houses 40%
of the total black rhino population. There are some black rhinos in the region
spread between Cameroon and Kenya.
In the wild, the adult black or white rhino has no
predators except for humans. Rhinos are hunted and killed for their horns. The
major demand for rhino horn is in Asia, where it is used in ornamental carvings
and traditional medicine. Rhino horn is touted as a cure for hangovers, cancer,
and impotence. Their horns are not true horns; they are actually made of
keratin—the same material that makes up our hair and nails. Truly, rhino horn
is as effective at curing cancer as chewing on your fingernails.
Animal
Speak by Ted Andrews
