Myths That Are Wiping Out The Rhino Population

Rhinos were once a common sight in South Africa. Housing approximately 80% of the rhino population, Rhinos have decreased in population rapidly and even a few sub species have become critically endangered. During 2009 to 2012, approximately 843 rhinos were documented to have been poached. (Numbers vary. See chart at the bottom of the article.) The relentless demand for rhino horn in traditional medicine, particularly traditional Chinese medicine, is threatening all rhino species with extinction. The current demand  is proving completely unsustainable for the remaining rhino populations. More and more people believe the myths of rhino horn as a powerful medicine. It is thought that much of this belief stemmed from the mythical unicorn and the wonderful powers this creature was said to possess. The unicorn of course, never existed, but the horn of the unicorn was thought centuries ago to have magical powers, curing fever and devil possession.

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 There is the same belief that rhino horn can treat ailments such as rheumatism, g out, fever and others such as typhoid, snake bites, vomiting and devil possession. There is also a new belief, mostly in Vietnam, that rhino horn can even cure cancer. These trends of myths only cause more and more people to ask for these horns and cause more and more rhino’s to be killed. A classic supply and demand scenario, yet animals are not objects or products. They cannot be treated as a sort of cure or good luck charm. To treat them like this would mean to objectify animals, causing the same problem rhinos are facing today. Even after Yemenis government, another country obsessed with the mythical powers of the rhino horn, publicly disproved all myths of rhino horns, the horns were still selling up to $1200 an ounce. Rhino horns are also believe to increase a person’s fitness and strength. These myths are especially prominent in the Eastern Asian cultures, where rhino and elephant horns and tusks are illegally traded on the black market. This has also been medically unproven as It is blatantly false and a complete myth. Keratin, the “material” in rhinos horns are also in our bodies. The protective cover on our nails is actually keratin.

Rhinos are being killed for no good reason. All reasons for the rhino’s horn effectiveness have been proven scientifically untrue. People that have serious ailments such as Cancer are being duped on the effectiveness of Rhinos horns when in reality, it doesn’t work. This gives people false hope when they should be seeking effective treatment or comfort. The only people that will benefit are those that benefit from illegal and unethical black market trading.

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Sources:

http://www.africam.com/wildlife/rhino_database_of_nkorho_pan_and_elephant_plains?page=2

 http://pessimistincarnate.blogspot.com/2010/11/horrific-eighteen-rhino-found-massacred.html

 http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/issues_for_debate/de-horning

 http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/03/10/148314276/in-battle-for-rhino-horns-a-clash-of-cultures

 http://theconversation.com/chopping-off-the-rhinos-horn-and-the-war-on-wildlife-crime-33427

 http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/poaching_statistics

 http://www.stoprhinopoaching.com/statistics.aspx