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BOILING POINT
ailments. These false beliefs are caus-
ing the massacre of rhinos around the
world. If you buy only a small piece of
rhino horn, you are killing an innocent,
majestic wild animal,” says Hoang Thi
Minh Hong, director of CHANGE.
According to international reports,
it is estimated there were 75,000 rhi-
nos worldwide in 1970. This figure had
reduced to around 28,000 in 2012.
Conservationists fear that the current
death rate poses a severe threat to the
black rhino and will soon exceed births,
putting it in decline. If poaching rates
continue to increase at the current rate,
populations could start to decline in less
than two years.
Rhino horn has traditionally been
used in Asian medicine for reducing
fevers and other ailments. The Chinese
government banned the use of rhino
horn in traditional Chinese medicine
in 1993.
Demand for use as carvings, cups,
bribes and gifts to officials, and tra-
ditional medicines in Asia appears to
have grown in recent years. In Vietnam,
there is a growing belief that rhino horn
can cure cancer, despite a total lack of
medical evidence. As a result, Vietnam
is now emerging as one of the largest
markets for rhino horn.
Rhino horn is also known as a ‘party
drug’ in Vietnam and is often ground up
and used in a tonic to cure hangovers.
In order to solve this, experts from
international organisations say the
Chinese and Vietnamese governments
should increase law enforcement and
fines and toughen up prosecution pro-
cedures. Educating consumers is an-
other tactic.
Over 66 per cent of Chinese citi-
zens interviewed by WildAid did not
know horns came from poached rhinos.
Meanwhile, nearly 95 per cent of par-
ticipants said the Chinese government
should take stricter preventative action
to protect rhinos.
In 1993, China prohibited the trade
of rhino horns and publicized the prose-
cution of illegal rhino horn dealers. The
ban in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and
Singapore, combined with increased
public awareness campaigns reduced
the demand for rhino horn and rhino
populations began to recover. Howev-
er, in 2008 the poaching began to rise
again due to the increased involvement
of organised crime and increased afflu-
ence in Asian countries.
In 2013, rhino horn sold for up to
$65,000 per kilogram, making it more
expensive than its weight in gold. In
1993, rhino horn sold for just $4,700
per kilogram.
QUICK FACTS
O
85 per cent of Africa’s estimated 25,000
rhinos live in South Africa.
O
Rhino horn is erroneously used as a cancer
and hangover cure, as bribes for officials,
and as a symbol of wealth.
O
Vietnam and China are the major markets
for rhino horn
O
Approximately 1,004 rhinos were killed in
South Africa in 2013, a 100 per cent increase
over 2011.
Local celebrities have launched a campaign against rhino horn purchase