The Australian photograph of Brent Stirton shows a dead black rhinoceros whose horn has been taken.
Wild hunters kill this black rhino for the sake of its horns using high-caliber bullets at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, South Africa. The number of black rhinoceros is only about 5,000 heads today. This photo was originally published in "Special Investigation: Inside the Deadly Rhino Horn Trade," in October 2016. (Brent Stirton via National Geographic)
ScienceLovers - A photo of the rhino massacre won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of This Year (WPY) award.
The Australian photograph of Brent Stirton shows a dead black rhinoceros whose horn has been taken.
Allegedly a number of hunters killed him in Hluhluwe Imfolozi wildlife reserve with firearms equipped with silencers.
Stirton perpetuates the photo as part of a roughly illegal investigation of trafficking of organs.
For the sake of the investigation, he has been to 30 crime scenes, making him depressed.
"In a certain point, I lost confidence in humanity," he said.
Upon receiving the WPY award in London, the 48-year-old man admitted to believing that the rhino slaughtering action that he took was very possible to fulfill the order.
Generally, after both rhinoceros horns are taken, the organ is sold to a broker.
The broker then smuggles him out of Africa to China or Vietnam.
In both countries, rhinoceros horns have higher selling value than gold or cocaine.
Why expensive? Stirton refers to the mistaken belief that some rhino horns can cure diseases, from cancer to kidney stones.
"We enter an age in which every animal, every living creature, is worth the price."
"And the people who gauge the price are not just feeling with (a fellow photographer's) feelings, someone has to defend the rights of animals and wildlife," Stirton insisted.
Lewis Blackwell, Chairman of WPY Jury, said the photo of a rhino that Stirton perpetuated had an impact on his colleagues.
"People may be disgusted, maybe horrified, but they captivate you and you want to know more about the story behind it."
"And you can not avoid it This photo exposes you to what's happening in the world," Blackwell said.
In addition to wildlife photographers this year, there are also awards for young wildlife photographer this year.
The category at the age of 15-17 years was won by Dutchman Daniël Nelson.
Nelson captured a photo of a nine-year-old gorilla named Caco. The gorilla lives in the Odzala National Park in the Republic of Congo.
WPY is one of the prestigious awards in the world of photography. The award began in 1964 and has since grown considerably.
This year, there are 48,000 photos coming from 92 countries.
