All five rhino species are threatened by poaching driven by illegal horn trade, with welfare implications for both poached animals and those subject to conservation management.
Rhinos poached for horn often have their horns hacked off while still alive and conscious — among the most extreme welfare violations in wildlife crime. Anti-poaching dehorning, while effective, requires repeated anaesthetic procedures that carry their own risks. Rhinos translocated for conservation management face the welfare stresses of capture, anaesthesia and transport. The conservation success of rhino management programmes is genuine welfare progress, but the methods require continuous welfare improvement.