Why does rhinos get poached

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Science Coronavirus Coverage How antivirals may change the course of the pandemic. Science Coronavirus Coverage U. The growth in wealth in countries such as China and Vietnam has meant that the percentage of these countries' populations that can now afford to purchase rhino horn is much larger than it was only a few years ago. Additionally, studies done by illegal wildlife trade organisations show that the demand for rhino horn is independent of price, meaning people will buy it no matter how expensive it is.

Investigations of rhino trade also indicate that consumers prefer wild rhino horn rather than farmed rhino horn and that they are neither concerned about rhino populations nor the stigma attached to using it. Rhino horn has been used to make ornaments and jewellery, although this is often a means through which rhino horn can be smuggled into countries. The other most significant threat to rhinos is habitat loss. In both Africa and Asia, the natural habitat of the rhino is being eroded as more and more land is claimed for human settlements and farmland.

As we reported last year, a compelling UN report released in May has revealed that one million plant and animal species are now at risk of extinction. The report painted an alarming picture of species extinctions, wildlife population declines, habitat loss, and depletion of ecosystem services confirming that we are losing nature at a dramatic and unsustainable rate.

Rhinos are often being pushed out of their current habitat. This might be due to such factors as lack of food or water, or the encroachment of their habitat by human interaction through the increase of farmland or buildings and developments.

Rhinos are solitary animals that usually shy away from human contact. They tend to live alone and require a large area in which to graze and live. The impact of habitat loss for rhinos also has a ripple effect on other plants and animals that live within that ecosystem. For example, a black rhino is a browser, and by eating leaves from shrubs and trees, they are natural pruners.

This keeps these plants from growing uncontrollably and stops certain vegetation from choking other types. This is one of many examples of how valuable the rhino is within its ecosystem. Finally, if rhinos are forced out of their specific areas due to habitat changes, they may well find themselves less protected from poaching. It is therefore imperative that we do all that we can to reduce environmental threats and habitat loss.

There are wider calls from within the country to legalise the international trade in rhino horn. Ordering for Christmas? Make sure Santa arrives in time! Check postage dates Dismiss. Skip to content ACT. Members Area. Members Login.

Credit: Sarah Nelson. Poaching for rhino horn Rhino poaching is being driven by the demand for rhino horn in Asian countries, particularly China and Viet Nam. What is rhino horn? As of the population was estimated to have grown further to and by was , with the majority of rhino in the stronghold Chitwan National Park. However this population level concerns some ecologists who estimate Chitwan NP may not be able to support more rhino and that some rhino should be translocated to other parks in Nepal.

Nepal has been received many accolades from the international community due to its conservation successes and strongly reduced number of illegal killings. These successes are attributed to its government-lead anti-poaching and community conservation efforts. More rhino are being lost to natural causes than poachers and the country celebrates months and even years without a single rhino poaching incident.

In early April of poachers in Chitwan National Park killed a rhino and made off with its horn. In April Nepal heralded days without losing a rhino and maintained 41 months without a poaching incident until September when a rhino was killed.

South Africa has the largest populations of rhinoceros of any African nation. The famous Kruger National Park , an expansive 19, square kilometers 7, sq. Data from the s through the early s show the very low interest in rhinoceros horn as either a trophy or folk medicine desired by the Asian market.

This surge in demand roughly corresponds to the sale of , kg , pounds of elephant ivory made to Japan and China page 12 by southern African nations including South Africa. Indeed, was one of the first years in which pseudo-hunts of rhino were arranged for Thai nationals in South Africa, sometimes with forged hunting permits.

In a year-end report SANParks reports that 1, rhinoceros , of the black rhino and white rhino species, have been poached and suspected poachers arrested. More recent, comprehensive data covering all of indicates 1, rhino killed in and suspected poachers arrested. In the annual report SANParks stated that 1, rhinoceros were known to have been illegally killed throughout the country, a slight decrease from the previous year, and suspected poachers arrested and firearms seized.

Of these, rhino would killed in the flagship Kruger National Park. The remaining poached rhino died in other parks or provinces, but it is believed the majority of poaching occurred in KwaZulu-Natal. As a result of administrative changes in the way that rhino poaching is reported by the South African government, data for is provided by official sources only as officially, but other sources have provided reliable statistics for specific regions over a limited period.

Rhino poaching in KZN has been steadily increasing almost every year since , with killed in and or killed page 61 within the province in By the end of slightly fewer rhinos have been illegally killed compared to the previous year, with occurring inside KNP and occurring in other regions of South Africa, bringing the total to 1, Throughout rhino killings continued their downward trend according to official statistics , where by the end of the year only rhino had been reported lost to poaching, the first time since that fewer than 1, rhino had been poached in a year.

Rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal dropped to in from its peak of the previous year. The first half of saw rhinos poached throughout the country, 70 fewer than during the same period in , suggesting a continued trend in reducing successful poaching incidents. However there was a worrying uptick in poaching in Gauteng province, historically with little rhino poaching, and an increase in poaching in Free State province compared to the first half of During the first half of there were arrests nationally related to rhino horn trafficking or poaching, an increase in total arrests compared to , but many of the court cases from the previous year remain unresolved due to a slow and flawed judicial system.

For the first time, the newly renamed Department of Environment, Forests and Fisheries formerly Environmental Affairs , formally denoted in their report the number of rhino killed on private lands 16 compared to public lands There are many factors contributing to an apparent decline in the number of rhinos poached during