Poisoned Rhino Horn To Save The Species
The demand for rhino horn for Asian medicine has made poachers’ fortune. But illegal trafficking poses a major threat to this species.
Considered to be beneficial for health, rhino horn is also the cause of its danger of extinction. An African reserve has decided to remedy this with an innovative technique.
It may sound radical, but the strategy used by an African reserve has many positive sides. It involves injecting poison into the rhino’s horn to make it unfit for human consumption. Do not worry: the health of this large animal is not at risk.
The poison rhino horn
It all begins in the Sadi Sand private reserve, a territory included in the famous Kruger National Park. The latter is the most visited park in South Africa. The project consists in injecting a compound of indelible pink dye and pesticides. Pesticides are commonly used against ticks in farm animals, and cause nausea and vomiting in humans.
This “poisonous” substance makes the dust made from rhino horn unsuitable for human consumption. Seeing some pictures on the internet it seems that the pink tint is very noticeable. But it’s actually not a very bright color.
Indeed, some debates have begun on social networks pointing the finger at this practice. For their part, the park managers claim that their technique is by no means illegal. It is an anti-parasite treatment that is normally carried out on these specimens. However, it is not usually injected into the animal’s horn.
The pink tint used is detected by the airport security systems. Consequently, it makes illegal horn trafficking difficult. Despite this, some experts question the project. They say it could move poachers to other areas. Furthermore, it seems impossible to put into practice on a large scale, as it involves anesthesia of the animal.
An “object” with a high economic value
The rhino horn is one of the most desired items by illegal traffickers of endangered species. It can be used for ornamental purposes, but is mainly consumed. All this represents a serious threat to the continuity of the species. Due to indiscriminate hunting, the population is rapidly decreasing.
Rhino horn is highly prized by Asian medicine for its supposed magical effects. Obviously, this is a completely false belief. According to Chinese tradition, it could cure numerous diseases, from cancer to infertility. In addition, it would also be useful for infections and against parasites.
Composed of keratin, rhino horn does not actually exhibit any of these properties. In fact, keratin is the same substance that makes up the hair and nails of all animals. Therefore, consuming rhino horn has the same effect as biting your nails – absolutely none.
This false belief in oriental medicine has resulted in the current sad plight of rhinos. To change it, numerous initiatives aim to protect this and other emblematic species. What do you think about it? Do you think this method will save the rhino from extinction?
