What is rhino poaching

Subsistence poaching is rarely the case when it comes to the rhino. Subsistence poachers poach to get food, or to sell the poached animal for a small amount of money in order to buy food. They are driven by poverty and hunger.

Commercial poachers poach as a money-making venture. Poaching can have a tremendous impact, not only on the individual types of animals targeted but on the overall environment.

It contributes to endangering and even causing the extinction of species. There are five species of rhinos — the Sumatran rhino, the Java rhino, the black rhino, the greater one-horned rhino and the white rhino. Rhinoceroses live in Africa and Asia, and the species have some differences. African varieties of rhino have two horns; the Sumatran rhino has two horns, but one is typically smaller than the other; and the two Asian types of rhinos have only one horn.

African rhinos use their horns to fight and defend themselves from predators; they can spear and throw animals they have impaled. Asian rhinos are generally thought to be less aggressive than African ones and tend to fight with their bottom teeth, not their singular horn.

African rhinos tend to eat plants that are found lower on the ground while the Asian rhino eats leaves and plants that are higher off the ground.

Two species of rhino lives in Africa — the black and white. White rhinos are larger than black rhinos, and have bigger heads and necks. They have a pronounced hump on their back, and typically keep their head close to the ground to feed. Their front horn is usually much larger than the back one and can grow up to three to six feet long. White rhinos may eat and rest throughout the day and night.

During hot weather, they may rest during the day, wallowing in mud to keep their body temperature down and help reduce skin parasites. The white rhino has two subspecies — the northern white rhino, and the southern white rhino.

They live in savannah areas. The southern white rhino is found primarily in South Africa, with some in Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Black rhinos include four subspecies, all of which are smaller than white rhinos. Supporters of the decision argue that legalised trade offers an alternative approach in the efforts to conserve rhino populations under threat from poaching.

It is argued that the revenue generated from sales of humanely removed rhino horn could help contribute to anti-poaching operations and benefit wider wildlife conservation efforts. It is also thought that regulated trade could help reduce criminal activity, and allow for traceable, ethical and sustainable consumption of rhino horn.

Although TRAFFIC appreciates the frustration of private rhino owners having to bear extremely high security costs to protect their rhino herds, concerns remain regarding South Africa's capacity to fully regulate and enforce a legal domestic market alongside the dangerously high levels of illegal activity already taking place.

Instead, it is likely that the new legislation might further exacerbate the potential for criminal involvement, creating further enforcement challenges or even helping to drive higher levels of consumer demand. As with ivory, the potential and ability for demand reduction approaches and targeted social and behavioural change initiatives to reduce the motivation for rhino horn consumption is evolving at a rapid pace. Since , TRAFFIC has been at the forefront of convening expert discussion to coalesce ideas and targeted approaches in influencing consumer behaviour, identifying archetyal rhino horn consumers and developing targeted messaging most likely to resonate with their motivations.

In order to ensure this type of insight-led approach is delivered at a sufficient scale and for a significant duration, TRAFFIC is facilitating collaborations among key stakeholders, including government, corporate leaders and those influential in society.

Initiatives in Asia, alongside enforcement and policy action, are already seeing positive resonance amongst targeted consumer groups, and encouraging traction among "agents of change" that can realistically undermine the social and cultural factors that are driving serious organised wildlife crime.

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?