Why Do People Kill Rhinos?

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Daniel Cortes Prof. Greely NR Lab 11 April, 2014 Rhinos For humans it’s second nature to go out hunting and kill, but for what cause. As for humans we have come a long ways and seen the destruction we humans can cause and are causing. We have established laws to protect our beloved animals and their homes that we need in order to coexist and keep the beauty of nature around. However, some haven’t been able to grasp that idea because of the greed of money, mystical medicinal use, and unnecessary traditions. According to SaveTheRhino.org, at the turn of the nineteenth century there were approximately one million rhinos roaming earth. By 1970, there were about seventy thousand rhinos in the wild and as of today, there are only about 28,000 rhinos …show more content…

According to Christine Dell'Amore article 1,000+ Rhinos Poached in 2013 Highest in Modern History on Nat Geos Daily News, the slaughter of one thousand rhinos was simply because of the high demand of rhino horns. Also, it has increase of 1.5 times higher, than of 2012, when 668 white rhinos were slaughtered for their horns. One reason for increase, the article continues, “there's new evidence that poachers are using neighboring Mozambique as an operational base, both to entering into South Africa to kill the animals, as well as for smuggling out their horns,” said Richard Thomas, global communications coordinator for TRAFFIC, a wildlife-trade monitoring network. The poachers aren't just the local people Richards continues on, they're often part of powerful, organized crime networks that have been linked to other illegal activities, such as drugs, weapons, and human trafficking, worldwide. The offender tend to sell the horn in marketplace in China and Vietnam, disappointingly used by the growing wealthy class people for “health refresher” and as well as status symbols. Also, demand for the horns is …show more content…

However there are solutions, like the legalization of international trade of the rhino horn, the thoery is supported by the idea of farming rhinos and eventually harvest their horns. Another solutions, is safe rhino dehorning it’s been said that if done under controlled conditions, the rhino’s horn could be safely removed without harming the animal. The only problem here is that it has a negative effect on the animal’s behavior and on the male rhino’s ability to mate. Harsher prison could deter some, so perhaps longer sentences and increased patrolling is another proposal to serve as a deterrent to illegal poachers. The simplest one of them all is educating people around the world is another way to help dealers and poachers realize the vainness in actually killing of the rhino for its horn. Then there is a need to make them realize that there is no real medicinal value that can be attached to the horn of the rhino. Ultimately, they all required an increased in funding and donations from the public will help to conserve the rhino for future generations, as stricter measures can be taken to help maintain them. To add, the introduction of a treatment known as Rhinoprotect, where the rhino horn is made valueless to poachers as it gets injected with color dye and poison whereby X-ray scanners will be able to detect the horn (10 Realistic

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