Rhinos in World Trade
World trade is the trade of endangered species (dead or
alive) across the world.
The rhino is commonly poached for its horns which are sold in worldwide trade. The horns are used for ornamental purposes and also for traditional medicine due to the keratin it contains. The trade of the rhino horn is most popular in East Asia especially Vietnam.
The rhino horn does not serve a great purpose for humans, but it is used for traditional medicines because of the keratin it contains but there is no proof that it works.
The rhinos have very poor eyesight meaning that they cannot see stationary objects even just a few metres away from them.
‘Subsistence Poachers’ come from poor communities who are driven to poach rhinos due to poverty and hunger therefore wanting to sell the horn for money. They tend to approach the rhino on foot and will shoot the animal with random fire to the head, chest and leg area in order to immobilise it. They will then attempt to remove the horn very roughly using weapons such as an axe. This is extremely bad welfare to the rhino as the poachers will remove the horn whilst the animal is still alive and conscious, and then after removal will leave the animal to suffer and pass away.
‘Professional Poachers’ use well-structured operations and also use high technology methods such as tranquilizer guns, helicopters, veterinary drugs and high calibre weapons to kill the rhino. These poachers tend to be driven by greed due to the financial gain. The poachers may include groups of criminal gangs and also skilled professional hunters. A high tech aerial attack is done darting the animal from the air using a tranquilizer guns. It will take approx. 7 minutes to take the animal down. The professional poachers land their helicopters and proceed to hack off the horn using a chainsaw. The rhino may then die due to an overdose of tranquilizer medicine or may bleed to death. Some rhino’s which are given too little dose of tranquilizer may wake up during the removal of the horn or shortly afterwards, this causing extreme discomfort and stress. The rhino will have very slim chance of surviving due to a secondary infection developing at the open wound. This is also extremely bad welfare for the animal as it is being put through lots of pain, stress and discomfort, and also being left to suffer to its death.
The rhino is commonly poached for its horns which are sold in worldwide trade. The horns are used for ornamental purposes and also for traditional medicine due to the keratin it contains. The trade of the rhino horn is most popular in East Asia especially Vietnam.
The rhino horn does not serve a great purpose for humans, but it is used for traditional medicines because of the keratin it contains but there is no proof that it works.
The rhinos have very poor eyesight meaning that they cannot see stationary objects even just a few metres away from them.
‘Subsistence Poachers’ come from poor communities who are driven to poach rhinos due to poverty and hunger therefore wanting to sell the horn for money. They tend to approach the rhino on foot and will shoot the animal with random fire to the head, chest and leg area in order to immobilise it. They will then attempt to remove the horn very roughly using weapons such as an axe. This is extremely bad welfare to the rhino as the poachers will remove the horn whilst the animal is still alive and conscious, and then after removal will leave the animal to suffer and pass away.
‘Professional Poachers’ use well-structured operations and also use high technology methods such as tranquilizer guns, helicopters, veterinary drugs and high calibre weapons to kill the rhino. These poachers tend to be driven by greed due to the financial gain. The poachers may include groups of criminal gangs and also skilled professional hunters. A high tech aerial attack is done darting the animal from the air using a tranquilizer guns. It will take approx. 7 minutes to take the animal down. The professional poachers land their helicopters and proceed to hack off the horn using a chainsaw. The rhino may then die due to an overdose of tranquilizer medicine or may bleed to death. Some rhino’s which are given too little dose of tranquilizer may wake up during the removal of the horn or shortly afterwards, this causing extreme discomfort and stress. The rhino will have very slim chance of surviving due to a secondary infection developing at the open wound. This is also extremely bad welfare for the animal as it is being put through lots of pain, stress and discomfort, and also being left to suffer to its death.