Statistically, every 15 hours a rhino gets slaughtered by poachers, gunned down with automatic AK47 rifles.
Statistically, every 15 hours a rhino gets slaughtered by poachers, gunned down with automatic AK47 rifles.
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The dehorning of African White and Black Rhinos
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, KZN, South Africa
The street value of rhino horns has soared to about $65,000 a kilogram (2.2 pounds), making it more expensive than gold, platinum, diamonds and in many cases cocaine, especially in Vietnam and China.
No horn, no poaching.
Due to their perceived medicinal and status-symbol properties, particularly in some Asian cultures. Despite no scientific evidence, the horns are ground into powder and used to treat various ailments or gifted as a symbol of wealth and social standing. This demand fuels the illegal poaching of rhinos, making their horns more valuable than gold or cocaine in some markets.
Rhino horn is primarily made of keratin, the same protein that forms human hair and fingernails. Unlike the horns of many other animals, rhino horns do not have a bony core. They are solely composed of densely packed keratin fibers.
Dehorning rhinos involves a multi-step process to remove their horns, primarily as a measure to deter poaching. The procedure involves sedating the rhino, covering its eyes and ears, and then using a chainsaw to cut off the horn, followed by smoothing and sealing the stump. This is done because rhino horns, made of keratin like human fingernails, grow back and need to be periodically trimmed. Dehorning needs to be repeated periodically, typically every 12 to 24 months, to remain effective. This adds to the long-term cost.
Rhinos are usually darted from a helicopter (or occasionally from the ground in smaller reserves). Once the anesthetic has set in, a ground team approaches and important checks are made and samples are taken, as well as the animal’s eyes and ears covered to prevent disturbance.
A pen is used to mark the point of horn removal, usually around 7cm from the base of the front horn and 5cm from the base of the back horn. A chainsaw or hand-saw is used to remove the rhino’s horns above these lines. Usually around 90-93% of horn is removed, being trimmed just above the germinal layer (an important cell layer that supports horn re-growth). The trimmed stump is smoothed and covered with Stockholm tar to prevent cracking and drying.
No, dehorning doesn't hurt the animal – it's like cutting fingernails or trimming horses' hooves.
The cost to dehorn a rhino can vary depending on several factors, but estimates suggest it typically costs between $1,200 and $1,500 USD per animal.
The estimating cost factors are:
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