Rhinoceros Poaching in South Africa Reaches New Levels

In 2012, 668 rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa, a good deal of the killings taking place in wildlife preserves. The main reason behind this slaughter is the growing demand for rhinoceros horn in Asia. The powdered rhino horn is believed to have medicinal value - a belief that has caused other species to be endangered and even valuable historical artifacts to be destroyed. Across the course of history, many animal parts are believed to have medicinal or superstitious value in Asia. This has resulted in the near extermination of certain species of turtle, elephants, and the rhinos featured in this article. The paws or organs of other animals have been used for talismans to bring luck. Many valuable Egyptian mummies have been ground into powder for medicinal use. None of these "cures" made from priceless artifacts and endangered animals actually work, yet they have fueled a black market that destroys species and artifacts. I think that in order to stop the illegal poaching of rhinos and of other endangered animals, something must be done about the beliefs that they have medicinal value. Authorities should focus more on stopping the actual sale of the illegal items, as preventing rhino killings has clearly not worked. I predict that if something is not done, animals that are poached for false cures will become even more endangered and few will remain in the wild. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20971182