Matt Wilkinson, the founder of the Safaritalk blog on African conservation, wrote this "Your Dot" post for the New York Times Dot Earth blog on factors driving the Rhino poaching surge, and possible paths to saving the species. More here: http://dtoearth.blogs.nytimes.com http://www.safaritalk.net

1. This is a Dot Earth “Your Dot” contribution from Matthew Wilkinson, who runs
www.safaritalk.net, a self-funded project highlighting wildlife conservation, environmental
protection and community initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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As someone who devotes his days to highlighting wildlife conservation in Africa, when I’m
asked to name my greatest concern, without hesitation I say the poaching onslaught
devastating rhinoceros populations. With so many pressing problems besetting wildlife and
the environment, why this one issue over and above everything else? The answer is shaped by
the shocking way in which the rhinos are killed and their horns removed, the widespread
myths fueling the recent poaching escalation and the apparent inability of governments to
tackle this massive problem with anything approaching competence.
In South Africa as of mid October, 439 rhinos had been killed so far in 2012. That is only 9 short
of last year’s total, and 432 more than the 7 reported in 2000. Throughout Africa, on average
50 rhinos are killed for their horns each month – and of course that doesn’t include the losses
of Indian, Sumatran and Javan rhinos, whose numbers are plummeting. Despite public
awareness campaigns, worldwide petitions, increasing press coverage and pressure on African
governments, and large amounts of money donated to rhino conservation groups, the
slaughter accelerates. So, why is it still happening?
Use of rhino horn in Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM below] and Traditional Oriental
Medicine dates back centuries. In a recent Safaritalk article, a retired practitioner of traditional
Chinese medicine described the horn’s allure this way: “The character of rhino horn is very
cool and is used for curing the heat. The character of the remedy brings the healing; rhino horn
is cool, salty, bitter. Viruses create heat (high temperature), and because ancient medicine
didn't know about bacteria, they would use the character of the illness for diagnosis and
treatment.” He went on to say, “Rhino horn would clear the heat in the blood and de-toxify
the blood in the body. It is also used to treat conditions causing the blood to "go the wrong
way," such as nosebleed. Only a small amount of horn is used, mixed with the other
ingredients (herbs, gypsum) or tea.” But since 1993 trade in rhino horn, (as well as tiger parts)
was banned by the Chinese government with the aim of stopping the use of endangered
wildlife derivatives in TCM: but advocates cling to historical evidence, knowing their ancestors
used it, their parents, grandparents: the reason why it continues to be used today by many
Chinese families. “As far as the manner of the death and suffering of an animal; to an un-
educated Chinese as long as a medicine can save children they don't care where it comes
from,” stated the practitioner to Safaritalk.
Alternative traditional cures exist which are proven to work, are not derived from rhinos, (or
any other animal), and are much cheaper to buy. The practitioner says in the article that his
mother used to dig roots, adding, “You don’t have to use rhino horn.” And leafing through an
ancient Chinese medical textbook he showed there to be over 500 different herbs in addition
to animal remedies and stressed there are “botanical TCM substitutes for rhino horn, and…
that’s what people should concentrate on.”
So instead of demonizing traditional Asian medical practices solely based on the use of rhino
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2. horn, it’s time greater emphasis is placed upon promoting these herbal alternatives. With
perfectly valid and cost effective herbal remedies, who exactly is benefiting from the trade in
the prohibitively expensive rhino horn? Surely not the end user.
Rhino Horn as Cancer Cure and Club Drug
So while reliance on rhino horn in Asian medicine may be on a gradual decline (although much
slower than is necessary for the survival of the world’s five rhino species), a more immediate
threat is posed from two newly developing markets for rhino horn: spurious media reports of
its miraculous cancer-curing properties (no doubt propaganda on the part of those fuelling
demand) and a frightening rise in the demand for horn as a statement of wealth and affluence.
In a statement last year [relevant link], Lixin Huang, president of both the American College of
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,
wrote: “For that reason, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Council of
Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine would reiterate that rhino horn is no longer
approved for use by the traditional Chinese medicine profession and there is no traditional
use, nor any evidence for the effectiveness of, rhino horn as a cure for cancer.” Despite this
total repudiation of the cancer curing claims, the upswing in the sales of horn for the use in
cancer treatment continues.
This is just one of the misconceptions surrounding the use of rhino horn in Asia, another being
the oft repeated assertion about its use as an aphrodisiac, this latter myth being promoted
through social media circles. The practitioner interviewed for Safaritalk stated he had “never
seen a case in his entire career where rhino horn was used as an aphrodisiac.” Yet, as Tom
Milliken states in his recent Traffic report on the trade, “Use of rhino horn as an aphrodisiac in
Asian traditional medicine has long been debunked as a denigrating, unjust characterization of
the trade by Western media, but such usage is now, rather incredibly, being documented in
Viet Nam as the media myth turns full circle.”
Certainly, as the street value of rhino horn increases (the price of an ounce of rhino horn being
more than that of gold), so does the propaganda: a seemingly wonder product of boundless
magical properties (none scientifically proven), having nothing to do with the historical
traditions of Asian medicine but everything to do with the profit margins of those selling it.
Peter Milton from SPOTS SA, in a recent Safaritalk interview, stated, “We are extremely
concerned that the growth in demand for rhino horn is not only due to TCM. A new, very
sinister market has been created by the syndicates... in clubs, pubs, etc. In China and Vietnam,
rhino horn is being sold and used as ‘the in thing to do’ -- a statement of wealth and
affluence.” These wealthy users who consume it, much like a drug, as a status symbol, are an
audience we have no hope of reaching with educational campaigns, and indeed, as the rhino
becomes ever more endangered, their use of rhino horn will increase. It is against this
background that governments must take greater action. And yet a wall of denial has been built
up by Vietnamese authorities, including Do Quang Tung, deputy director in Vietnam of the
management authority for the Cites wildlife conservation treaty. He refuses to admit Vietnam
is a major destination for South African rhino horn. An informed Safaritalk contributor stated
in a discussion of the illegal trade, “If you’re caught smuggling over 600 grams of heroin into
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3. Vietnam you will face the death penalty, whereas if you’re caught smuggling rhino horn (or
ivory) you get little more than a slap on the wrist I believe. So why risk death smuggling drugs
when you can make as much if not more money from rhino horn and other wildlife products
without any appreciable risk, this is the real problem. The Vietnamese authorities just don’t
take this issue seriously enough (or at all) as it appears that rhino horn is sold quite openly in
the country. Two years ago the very last known mainland lesser one-horned (Javan) rhino was
found poached in Nam Cat Tien National Park in Vietnam. Maybe these rhinos were beyond
saving but still to me this gives some indication of the Vietnamese government’s attitude to
rhino conservation.”
De-horning Solution?
So is dehorning an option? Ayesha Cantor from Kragga Kamma Game Park in South Africa
believes it is, but not in every case. In her Safaritalk article documenting the dehorning
process, she writes: “De-horning is not a suitable option in a lot of instances. Rhino use their
horns to defend themselves against predators, elephant, and other rhino. Black rhino use their
horns to pull down branches, especially if they have a calf at foot to help browse. There is also
the thought that de-horning
would affect their social
interaction. Each rhino's
circumstances should be
carefully considered before de-
horning… it is not ideal,
however, in this case, we believe
we are doing everything we can
to keep these three safe from
poachers.” In her case it was
effective: “Over the last 18
months or so we have received
an escalating number of tipoffs
that our rhino are a target to be poached…” going on to say, “Since the de-horning, nearly
three months ago, we have had not one single tipoff that our rhino are a target.” Kragga
Kamma is a specific example, a small-scale property where a family is trying to make a
difference, but in wilderness areas past evidence has shown that poachers will kill a dehorned
rhino anyway, so as to not waste time tracking them in the future. ( Photo by Ayesha Cantor, Kragga
Kamma Game Park, S. Africa.)
With an escalating street value, it matters less to the poacher whether the rhino is dehorned
or not, they will cut down the very last millimeter. The highest dollar is paid for what is called
“Wet Horn”, the part which is attached to the skull, i.e., the bloodied stump. Those profiting
from the trade claim that the horn from a poached rhino will be more effective than that of
“dry” stockpiled horn, or farmed rhino. (Where the horn is harvested periodically allowing for
the horns to grow back over a period of time.) This being evidenced in the horrific way that
rhinos are poached: shot, but more frequently tranquilized by a dart gun using the fast acting
M99 drug, poachers hack the horn from the skull using pangas, (machetes), or chainsaws,
causing serve injuries from which the rhino, if not killed outright, rarely recovers. And the
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4. poaching syndicates are well prepared, financed and logistically equipped. Using helicopters to
home in on the rhino, shooting from the air, they can be in and out having poached more than
one rhino at a time before anti-poaching units are anywhere near the scene.
A solution that has support from some sectors, though dividing opinion, is a one-off stockpile
sale plus the notion of sustainable farming to supply the market with a continuous supply.
Milton in his interview puts it well: “we are dealing with very sophisticated criminal networks…
they aren’t simply going to turn their backs on the lucrative illegal rhino horn trade – they have
already created a parallel market, i.e., the ‘fresh wild product’ versus the ‘stockpiled product.’
Poachers are paid way more for ‘wet poached’ horn than ‘dry.’ So, in releasing dry stockpiled
product all we will do is grow demand – and we will grow that demand for both the stockpiled
product and the ‘superior’ poached product.”
One can recognize the huge amount of money tied up in stockpiled horns. But in the event of
such a sale, who would the proceeds benefit? Undoubtedly private farmers, some of whom
favor the trade, but how much would be directed to conservation? Obviously in the case of
government conservation institutions the argument is that such proceeds would drive further
conservation efforts: but how can this be guaranteed? Would a one-off sale or rhino farming
stifle demand? I don’t believe so; you only have to look at the last legal auction of ivory
conducted 2008 which, though intended to halt the illegal trade, has only served to reignite
the demand, see the New York Times article “Elephants Dying in Epic Frenzy as Ivory Fuels
Wars and Profits.”
With demand for rhino horn moving away from the traditional medicine market to the new
affluent “designer drug” market, coupled with an ever-increasing middle class and consumer
economy in Vietnam and China, one can see that horn will be peddled to a growing number of
people who could care less for the source of their illicit pleasure.
To quote once more Peter Milton, “Against this backdrop, the outlook for the rhino is very
bleak. There is no doubt that without significant public and political pressure on the
governments of all countries known to be dealing in rhino horn and other animal parts, to
actively and aggressively shut down these markets, the rhino and many other species will
simply not survive.” Is there enough will from governments to tackle the crisis head on? In
South Africa, Vietnamese diplomats have been implicated in the illicit smuggling of horn (and
expelled), including Vu Moc Anh, who was filmed trading horn outside the Vietnamese
embassy in Pretoria. Article 27 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations means
diplomatic bags or pouches are immune to search, as are the couriers accompanying them. I
wonder just how much rhino horn has been (or will be) smuggled out of South Africa this way?
So at what stage will President Zuma take a sterner diplomatic approach? When the gene pool
has been so reduced as to make extinction a real possibility? Rhino numbers have hung in the
balance before, and they have been brought back from the brink, thanks to efforts
spearheaded by Dr. Ian Player.
But in such a connected world, can we afford to let the situation reach that precarious level
again?
One of the comments I’ve seen recently is that the public is becoming “rhino’ed out” -- turned
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5. off by the repetitive use of grisly and explicit images of dead rhino and endless circulation of
petitions. So, how does one convey the message in in ways that are more apt to be effective?
And how do we insure that the most important audience of all, in China and Vietnam, gets the
message? It would be helpful if a select group of highly placed practitioners of traditional Asian
medicine from around the world publicly denounced the medical properties of rhino horn. This
would help expose the fact that demand is driven by criminal greed and profit, not medical
evidence. Produced as a multilingual public-service announcement, the resulting statement
would ideally be broadcast by the Vietnamese and Chinese governments to have the best
chance of having an impact.
We cannot afford to alienate those who I know to be fighting against the trade from within
these countries’ borders. I’ve personally engaged in fruitful discussions through social media
that get around the “great firewall of China” and have challenged and changed attitudes in the
space of a few lines – not written by myself but by Chinese participants.
To those who are fighting hard in China and Vietnam to change this culture, the most
productive path is to expose the trade for what it is, a criminal con which, if not curbed, will
ultimately cause the rhino’s extinction and which, in turn, costs the user thousands of dollars
for an ineffective cure. There do exist much cheaper, proven traditional Chinese medicines. If
those buying such products care little for animal welfare, and evidence suggests this to be the
case, then I’m sure they’ll appreciate sound financial advice.
The only way to stop, or at least reduce poaching levels significantly is to halt the demand: 悲
悯生灵，勿做凶手。拒绝购用犀角制品. "Be the Solution, not the cause. Stop buying rhino
horn products."
To be take part in the numerous Safaritalk discussions, visit the website and join as a member
here – www.safaritalk.net.
To read more about Peter Milton’s work with SPOTS South Africa, visit their website here -
www.spots.org.za
To see more from Ayesha Cantor’s Kragga Kamma Game Park in South Africa, visit her website
here – www.kraggakamma.com
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