Poaching the creature that's more valuable than gold

I wish they could find a way of colouring elephants' tusks in some way that wouldn't harm the animals but would make the tusks useless as ivory. It would have to be permanent of course and perhaps it would not be acceptable to the animals. I don't know - I simply hate this killing of elephants (and rhinos).

That should be gamekeepers.

Elegran "subsistence poaching" has always been around and addressed in various ways, e.g. development schemes to turn poachers into gatekeepers. In recent years though rhino poaching is now linked with organised crime and big money. The poachers fly in using helicopters.

Read Lawrence Anthony's book The Last Rhino ...

It is such an emotive issue as well!

It has been suggested - for elephants too. but what do you do with the horns/tusks you remove? Sell them to the Chinese . . . . ?

www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/issues_for_debate/de-horning

The removal would have to be done under anaesthetic, after the animals had been tracked and caught, not easy

Thanks Elegran I had no idea when that idea popped into my head, its a lot more complicated than it seems

www.krugerpark.co.za/kruger-park-news-rhino-horn-dehorning-did-you-know-25420.html

The horns regrow at a rate of about 12cm a year, so would have to be cut back regularly - also the poachers are happy to cut out the part that is below where it can be cut, below the surface - like having fingernail roots dug out.

If the poachers could get paid work that meant that poaching was not necessary to them, and they had a pride in their native animals that went deeper than a desire for the money they could make from them, it would go a long way toward stopping poaching.

I would hastily add that I have a huge amount of sympathy for all rhinos.

Oh, I thought this was a cooking thread.

I saw this and thought although its dreadful to contemplate it would almost be worth it, to actually remove Rhino horns to save their lives. Poachers would then be out of a job.