In July, 2001, when film superstar Aishwarya Rai heard about the plight of Baixinha, an endangered black rhino who was being sold for 'canned' hunting on a ranch outside Johannesburg, she immediately called, 'Cut!' on the set of her recent photo shoot. Rai took a break to pen a heartfelt letter on PETA's behalf to David Laylin, president of Speedtech Instruments in Great Falls, Virginia, who had decided to sell the chance to kill the rhino and mount her head on a wall after his attempts to breed her with an aging bull at her South African home failed.
Laylin planned to sell Baixinha, who was tame and fond of humans and whose name means 'pretty one', as a living target to be released and shot. Rai urged Laylin to reconsider the decision and asked him to release Baixinha, who was one of fewer than 500 michaeli rhinos remaining in the world, to a sanctuary where she could live the rest of her life in peace.
'The slaughter of an animal so magnificent and rare would be a terrible tragedy. Making it even more tragic is the fact that Baixinha is tame,' said Rai. 'She has no fear of humans and even takes food from a child's hand. How horrible to contemplate betraying this gentle animal's misplaced trust in humans.'
Charlize Theron, star of The Cider House Rules, The Devil's Advocate, and Men of Honor, also sent a letter to Laylin, pleading with him to spare Baixinha's life.
Aishwarya's pleas were heard and Baixinha was allowed to live out her days in a sanctuary. Baixinha passed away in 2003.
Source: PETAIndia.com
Contact:
PETA India
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Juhu, Mumbai 400 049
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Tel.: +91 (022) 2628-1880
Fax: +91 (022) 2628-1883
Email: petaindia@peta.org
PETA
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Tel.: +1 (757) 622-PETA (7382)
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www.peta.org
Related Information:
 PDF File: Aishwarya Rai's Letter
Article: Baixinha saved from the hangman
Article: Baixinha passed away
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