The government of Namibia has approved the removal of horns from rhinos living in national parks.
The government of Namibia has approved the removal of horns from rhinos living in national parks.
It’s their hope that the measure will keep the animals from being killed by poachers.
Illegal slayings have been a large problem in recent years, as the market for rhino horn has grown significantly in several parts of Asia.
To do what they can to keep the already critically endangered black variety from complete extinction, officials are taking away the primary incentive for illicit hunting.
The removal procedure involves delivering anesthesia via a dart and then using a tool, often a chainsaw, to detach the horn.
Namibia has had success with a similar, albeit smaller scale, effort in the past.
Several rhinos had their horns taken off back in 1989 and afterwards none them were targeted by poachers.
Critics of the plan point out that other countries have tried this with considerably less positive results.
The procedure leaves a bit of horn in the rhino, and in the past many humans have deemed it enough to kill for.
