The alleged panic-fueled fear of chinese men concerning the size of their manhood and the superstition that finely ground rhino horn would buckle their pants a bit more, so far only resulted in the stricken Africa to this disgusting form of poaching.
Last year more than 48o rhinos has been poached only in the Kruger-National-Park in South Africa. The rotting carcasses were mostly found when the poachers already had left the country with their prey.
The situation isn’t better in the other national parks in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia or Botswana.
All over Africa park rangers are trying to fight the encroachments of poachers which increased heavily in the last years.
Poaching also in European Wildlife Parks
What seems to be initially a bad joke is unfortunately bloody reality. Not only in Germany, also in other european countries there is now a hunting on rhinos going on. Wildlife parks in Portugal, and in Germany in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg already reported about several encroachments after they already invested massively in security technology like surveillance cameras. Also fences and gates has been strengthened and extended. But not only the wildlife parks are affected. There are even reports from museums of natural history that male visitors in pairs appeared, went straight to the wildlife department, tore the rhino heads off the wall and fled. The most elderly employees were just baffled and helpless.
No Scientifically Detectable Effects
Apart from the rumor helping to increase potency, the chinese medicine uses horn powder for several types of cancer and many other diseases. With questionable effect.
Also the former australian super-model Elle Macpherson said, asked about her youthful look, to use rhino horn powder from time to time and she swear by it. In how far Elle “The Body” Macpherson made herself responsible for the organized slaughter of rhinos with such statements remains an open question. Although she likes to delude herself about rhino powder helps her to look younger, it won’t help her reputation. But, nevertheless, there was a reason why she was called “The Body” and not “The Brain”.
The representatives of the chinese medicine, internationally accepted by physicians to be a real alternative to the conventional medicine in some cases, should trust in the scientific facts. Which imply there were no ingredients detectable that would show any effect, apart from a diarrhea after an overdose maybe. One could cut fingernails or hair and grind it. The result would be the same, namely none.
Facing these facts it is a shame that there are paid from € 60.000 to € 100.000 per horn depending to the size. Nevertheless it must be mentioned that many horns are not only traded for medical purposes than are also used for artistic carvings. They are manufactured to cups and chalices for the chinese market.
The trading with rhino horns and also the criminal procurement in Europe seems to be very well organized with significant participation of Irish organizations. But since the incomes in Asia raised, the asian average worker can afford the desired powder as well. And this results in a higher demand. Thank to superstition.
Photos by Carina Helbig, Alfred Krawietz – www.pixelio.de