The poaching of rhinos in South Africa results from the high demand for rhino horns in Asia, particularly in Vietnam. Some Vietnamese use the horns to treat various illnesses and as a status symbol. Rhino horn powder is made from ground rhino horn and it is used as a traditional medicine in China and Vietnam. It’s also used as an aphrodisiac, which has been disproven by science. In 2010, Vietnam banned the sale of powdered rhino horns but it remains legal to sell whole horns or carved items that contain them. The illegal trade of rhinos has become more profitable than ever before thanks to the growing demand for their horns in Asian countries like China and Vietnam.
What is the rhino horn poaching crisis in South Africa?
The rhino horn poaching crisis in South Africa is a major conservation issue. The country has the world’s largest population of rhinos, with around 20,000 white and black rhinos and 1,800 Indian one-horned rhinos. The poaching of rhinos has been escalating since 2008. It has now reached an alarming level where 1 out of every 3 wild African rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa in the past decade. There are two primary reasons for this rapid escalation: the first is that there is a high demand for the horn in Asia, where it is used to make traditional medicines; and the second is because the penalties for poaching are relatively low. This means that poachers will continue to hunt them until their numbers are reduced to such a level that they are no longer profitable to poachers or until they find another lucrative animal to hunt instead.
