A Modest Proposal To Reduce The Slaughter Of Rhinos

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One method that has been proposed in order to reduce the mass slaughter of rhinos is the use of 3D synthetic of rhino horn. The theory behind creating a synthetic substitute is to flood the market by increasing the supply. By having a legally produced synthetic substitute that is genetically purer we can increase the quantity produced of rhino horn. The increase in quantity will increase the number of units of rhino horn available to the market shifting the supply curve right. This will reduce the scarcity of rhino horn. Therefore as the supply curve shifts outwards the equilibrium point will move along the demand curve to find a new equilibrium at a lower price at a higher quantity(supplied by the substitute). Prices could be sold at ⅛ of …show more content…

Legalisation of trade would allow commercial farms to play a pivotal role in the fight for rhinos. Currently the South African government holds 21 tonnes of rhino horn which has an approximate value of $1.36 bn, by legalising trade of horn, entrepreneurial farmers could painlessly and non lethally farm rhino horn, preserving the species and satisfying demand with a legal supply e.g. a farm in Johannesburg has 13 dehornings two to three days a week. These could be could be microchipped and by transported in armed escorts. It would bring trade into the eyes of the government where is could regulated and responsibly monitored with respect to demand and the supply available, giving authorities a good clear insight into the market and allows them to immediately respond to exogenous shocks in the market. Becoming active in the market of rhino horn suppliers gain a commercial source of income. Products will be cheaper and of a legal nature making it more attractive option to buyers than ‘blood horns’. This can be reinvested in the protection of the species both on commercial farms and the enforcement of their survival in the wild. Legal trade allows farms, currently two Asian farms and multiple African farms, to have greater security and rights against poachers making the supply less vulnerable to criminal activity. Finally, by having a greater supply of rhino horn it would decrease the speculative stock piling as there is a constant supply, possibly increasing with modern technology improvements as more horn can be produced further increasing supply, certainly dropping the price due the highly elastic nature. This will also force those in the illegal trade out due to less profitability in the black market trade reducing the incentive to poach. In Australia there has been major success in the farming of crocodiles for their skin which has helped fund

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