Color horns for rhinos. They could be a solution to poaching and killing these animals. An idea that has been debated for some time and which sees, on the one hand, those who are in favor of such extreme measures to protect animals, and on the other hand those who think that coloring the horns could be risky for rhinos
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Also this year the World Rhino Day comes in a situation of extreme uncertainty and concern for the future of this animal, which in Africa alone in the last decade has more than 6.680 specimens killed by poachers.
In just 3 years we have lost 1349 horns and the demand for rhino horn is at the root of the near extinction of these species.
But ultimately someone has found a brilliant idea to protect them, coloring their horns and making them unsaleable.
An idea that has long been debated and which sees, on the one hand, those who are in favor of such extreme measures to protect animals, and on the other hand those who think that coloring the horns could be risky for rhinos. But also those who silence this project as a hoax. Still, it's all true, and it may be more useful than ever.
For this, the workers of the Kruger National Park a few years ago they injected a special cocktail into 100 rhino horns in an attempt to discourage poachers, as part of the “Rhino Rescue Project”.
The dye, which acts from the inside, in addition to dyeing the horn, can also be detected by airport scanners, even when the horn itself is transported in the form of a powder. The hope is to make transportation much less smooth as well.
Not only. In the dye there is a powerful pesticide, usually used against ticks which, although unable to kill poachers and consumers who ingest the dust, has side effects quite strong, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Ironically, these are some of the symptoms that rhino horn powders are believed to alleviate.
This is not the case even if in some countries these powders are withheld wrongly able to cure some illnesses. Nothing could be more false since rhino horns contain the same molecules present in our nails.
However, it must be said that some of the images circulating on the web, like the one below, have been retouched and they do not exactly reflect the color assumed by the horns. This is why many think of one hoax.
But the cover photo is real and was taken by Rhino Rescue Project about 3 years ago. The picture shows a rhino after the treatment.
Certainly suggests the fact that the animals are treated with antibiotics and painkillers even if, assures Rhino Rescue Project, the rhinos recover quickly.
But let's go back to the real or presumed danger of these substances for the animal. According to SaveTheRhino, rhino horn has been shown to be non-porous and the liquid mixture formed by the dye and pesticide does not spread throughout the horn.
While this means that the animal does not suffer any harm, on the other hand the solution does not solve the poaching problem because the dye can be removed and abraded.
Coloring the horns, therefore, might really be the best solution to discourage poachers.
Francesca Mancuso
Gallery
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