Vijftien tanden of delen van het gebit van verschillende soorten neushoorns before 1893

This image depicts fifteen teeth or partial dental structures from various rhinoceros species, and was created by Nabholz & Co. Scherer. Though we lack a specific date, the scientific precision of the image suggests an era of burgeoning natural science illustration, reflecting a colonialist desire to categorize and understand the natural world, and highlighting assumptions about civilization and nature. What does it mean to reduce these animals to mere fragments? Consider the rhinoceros, an animal whose very existence has been shaped by human intervention, poaching, and habitat loss, largely driven by the demand for rhino horns in traditional medicine and as status symbols. These teeth, displayed almost clinically, invite us to ponder the broader implications of extraction and representation. They underscore a history of exploitation and the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. They compel us to confront the consequences of our actions, and reflect on the future we are actively shaping for these magnificent creatures.