Rhinoceros poaching for horn causes acute suffering and death for thousands of rhinos annually and has driven several species to the brink of extinction.
Rhino poaching causes acute suffering through violent deaths that are often prolonged. Poisoned arrows cause slow death over hours. Gunshot wounds that do not immediately kill leave animals suffering while poachers extract the horn. Calves abandoned when mothers are killed face starvation and predation. The psychological stress of intensive anti-poaching operations in high-risk areas means even surviving rhinos may experience chronic anxiety in what was formerly safe habitat. Dehorning programs cause temporary stress under anesthesia but eliminate the value target, reducing poaching pressure in protected areas with resources for regular treatment.