Darby McMahon Pd#9 Long Fight To End Rhino Slaughter

         Recently two South Africans who farm rhinos appeared in court wanting to get rid of a ban on rhino horn trade. They claimed it is an unconstitutional ban that has risen the amount of rhino poaching. South African rhinos make up for 80% of the rhino population, but with poachers alone last year the population went down by 1,215. International rhino horn trade has been banned since 1977 but poachers illegally sell horns for Chinese medicine and hangover cures.The farmers say that horns can be extracted painlessly and that getting rid of the ban would reduce prices, and poaching. As a counter argument they state that a release on the ban would just open up for illegal rhino horn trade to be passed off as legal, encouraging poaching. A recent study from the University of Pretoria found that people would pay as much as wanted for rhino horns, they are in high demand as a status symbol. The farmers own a large rhino farm and own up to $235 million dollars worth of rhino horn if the ban is lifted. 

Source: Rhino Slaughter

         This article was writen by Rachael Bale from National Geographic. I find this piece really interesting. The author has a very neutral tone so you can choose for yourself and see all of the facts not swayed by her opinion. I can kind of see the pros and cons to lifting the ban but i just dont think it is right to de-horn these rhinos. Also the fact that the two men who want the ban lifted are the ones who would benefit with $235 million dollars made me mad. I had no idea there was such a great rhino horn demand, nor did i know that the poaching had gone this far. I feel like everybody should know about these things, and the author makes it undertsandable and accesible. This article was writen to highten the awareness of rhino horn poaching and to spread knowledge about the ban in effect. This has a big impact on the whole world. Every animal plays a key role in our eco system, and we should not sit idly by while this is happening. 

-Darby McMahon pd#9