Do rhino horns have any medicinal value?
The structural protein that creates a rhino's horn is called keratin— the same protein that makes up human nails and hair. This substance has no proven medicinal value; in fact, consuming rhino horns is the same as consuming our own fingernails. Although no research supports rhino horn as medicine, it is still widely used in many parts of Asia, driving poaching in Africa.
The war on poaching will ultimately be won in Asia, it has to start with demand.
Source: TRAFFIC
What Is Rhino Horn Used For?
Rhino horn most often is taken as a fever reducer or an aphrodisiac. While there is no evidence that keratin works in these ways, this is a belief that is rooted in eastern medicine. In the countries with the highest rate of rhino horn consumption, the top consumers are middle-aged men and women with young children.
Women often give their children ground-up horn when they are ill, and men will either use the supplement to aid in any erectile dysfunction or buy whole horns to put on display in their home. When not used as a supplement, illegal wildlife parts are often seen as a status symbol which is why wealthier individuals would display a horn in their home.
Where Is The Demand For Rhino Horn?
Although it's a small country, Vietnam is the number one consumer of rhino horn worldwide. This is driving the poaching rate in Africa through the roof as consumers demand more of the substance. Other countries involved in the trade with illegal shipments often go to Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
While it's nice to believe that larger countries would not participate in the illegal trade, many shipments have been traced into the United States, UK, and Europe. Almost no country in the world is innocent when it comes to the illegal poaching and trade of wildlife parts like rhino horn, so what can we do about it?
Source: World of Animals
How Can We Reduce The Demand For Rhino Horn?
The number one way to reduce the demand for rhino horns is through education. Although many studies have concluded that a percentage of consumers would still buy rhino horn knowing that it has no medicinal value, awareness about the effects of rhino horn is vital.
If most consumers would stop buying rhino horn and instead buy aspirin if they knew it really couldn't reduce a fever, demand would fall drastically. By debunking the belief that there is any medicinal purpose to these horns, we can more effectively reduce the number of rhinos being slaughtered for the trade.
The fact is, poachers are simply responding to demand and the opportunity to make money. If there's no demand, poaching will decrease, and rhino populations worldwide will have a chance to thrive once more.
The biggest mistake we're making right now is the method of education about the illegal trade of wildlife parts. These topics are primarily discussed with those studying a related field or topic. If a big change is to be made, these topics need to be more widespread. Only then will we be able to reach all consumers.
You can do your part in spreading awareness about rhino poaching by sharing this post and bringing this topic into conversations on your social media and with those around you. The more we can talk about this topic, the more mainstream and widely known it'll be.
