Not for the squeamish

One of the issues that I've been dealing with in WWF over the last two years is the escalation of rhino poaching in southern Africa. First Zimbabwe and the South Africa have seen a massive increase in poaching in recent years. More recently, Zimbabwe seems to have brought it under control but we have yet to see signs that South Africa is doing so (despite some efforts); the rate of loss comes close to one rhino every day. The escalation seems to be driven by an explosion in demand for rhino horn in Viet Nam - a country which, unlike China, did not have a long-standing tradition of use of horn for medicinal purposes.

What is the horn made of? Well, whereas most horns (deer, antelope, cows, sheep, goats etc.) have a core that is bone, those of rhino are made of compacted keratin - the same material that makes up our hair and fingernails. That is not to say that they are any softer - they are, in fact, extremely hard.

So what is the horn used for? Traditional Chinese Medicine in the past recommended its use for a variety of ailments but principally as a fever cure (it is no longer part of the Official Chinese medicinal pharmacopaea). There is some evidence that it has a small level of effectiveness compared to a placebo but the effectiveness is negligible compared to aspirin, leading some experts to remark that you might as well just chew your own fingernails. Contrary to the popular urban myth in western countries, there is no tradition of use of rhino horn as an aprhodisiac.

UnfortunatelyIn Viet Nam, it is currently being touted as a cure for cancer - another urban myth. This is based on rumours of a persion with high political connections who went into remission after taking rhino horn. However, the person concerned has never been publicly identified so we are not even sure that he really exists. Moreover, the reasons as to why people go into remission and then come out of it are one of the mysteries of cancer. What most of us do know from personal experience with friends and relatives is that cancer sufferers are often driven to try anything that has even the faintest reputation for effectiveness - especially if they are in severe pain. So the marketing of horn for this purpose - as well as leading to the loss of rhinos - is merely cruel exploitation of the vulnerable.

A group of South African university students decided to draw attention to the issue in a novel way. I post the link to the clip here but I warn you - it's not for the squeamish!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUGtrLB_k_U