Debate erupts as scientists propose legal rhino horn trade
They aim to protect an endangered species, but the method they have chosen is sparking controversy. Scientists propose legalizing the trade of rhino horn to reduce poaching.
7:03 AM EDT, October 21, 2024
The illegal trade of powdered rhino horn reaches astronomical figures on the black market, and poaching of rhinos in Africa continues to escalate despite concentrated efforts to combat it.
While ecologists and animal rights activists strive to find effective ways to curb this practice and protect these illegally targeted animals, a group of scientists has put forth a somewhat controversial idea.
According to the Interia portal, by 2023, the number of rhinos threatened with extinction had been systematically decreasing. In just the first half of 2024, as many as 229 rhinos were killed in South Africa, and the total population of this species today is only about 70 individuals.
The ban on the rhino horn trade has theoretically been in place for nearly 50 years (effective since 1977), yet in Asian countries, powdered horn remains a status symbol and is widely used in Chinese medicine.
In 2023, out of a population of about 20,000 white and 4,500 black rhinos in South Africa, over 1,200 were killed by poachers. Consequently, a group of scientists advocates for the legalization of horn sales, arguing that it could reduce the illegal poaching of rhinos and the black market trade of horns.
Rhino horns grow back similarly to human nails. Proponents of the idea claim that removing them humanely and under anesthesia would help protect the animals' lives, and the funds generated could support further conservation of these rare creatures.
Legal trade would deprive international criminal groups of revenue and provide resources for rhino protection, argues Martin Wikielski from the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
