If horn was made readily available through a controlled legal supply from farmed rhinos, would it take the pressure off wild populations in national parks and other conservation areas?
8. WOULD PRESSURE ON WILD RHINOS REDUCE IN A LEGAL TRADE ENVIRONMENT?
NO TRADE
It might, but the opposite might also happen. A second market could emerge if horn from wild rhinos is perceived to be more effective or potent than “farmed” horn. Farming bears for their bile (also used in CTM) provides an example. Despite offering an alternative to trapping wild bears, the harvesting of wild bears continues, partly because of a willingness to pay a premium for their bile. This suggests that the introduction of farmed rhino horn could well stimulate demand for the wild product.
PRO TRADE
There are already more than 6,000 rhinos on privately owned land. Their regular dehorning means that over the lifetime of each rhino, as much as eight times the amount of horn of a single, slaughtered wild rhino would be produced. This harvested horn, together with horn from stockpiles, sold through a tightly regulated process, would be more than enough to supply demand, create returns for rhino breeders and national coffers, and provide funding for more intensive rhino protection. It stands to reason, therefore, that a sustainable legal trade would take the pressure off wild rhinos, leading to a significant reduction in rhino poaching.
Rhino Review: No trade vs pro trade Question 8
Ross Harvey & Colin Bell
Rhino Review: No trade vs pro trade Question 8
John Hanks
