Poaching of rhinoceroses for their horns continues despite international bans, causing violent deaths and traumatizing surviving family members. Demand reduction and anti-poaching efforts are critical welfare priorities.
Rhino poaching causes intense suffering at multiple levels. The killing methods — gunshot, poisoning, or tranquilizer followed by horn removal from a living animal — all involve prolonged pain and fear. Calves that witness the killing of their mothers and are left alone experience grief, confusion, and terror before being found by rangers or dying. The psychological trauma of poaching events affects entire groups of rhinos in proximity, altering behavior and stress levels for weeks. The demand driving this suffering is for a product — keratin horn — that has no legitimate medicinal use. Changing the beliefs and cultural norms that drive demand for rhino horn is one of the most powerful welfare interventions available, alongside direct protection of animals in the field.