Dehorning of rhinos as a anti-poaching measure involves significant welfare costs that must be weighed against the protection benefits it may provide.
Dehorning rhinos creates acute welfare costs — sedation carries inherent risks, and the procedure is clearly traumatic. The ongoing welfare impact includes potential disadvantage in social interactions, reduced ability to defend calves from predators, and the stress of repeated procedures every 18 to 24 months. The conservation justification rests on whether dehorning deters poachers sufficiently to offset both the welfare costs and the management expense. Evidence from Southern Africa is mixed: some operations report reduced poaching; others report that poachers continue targeting dehorned rhinos for the residual stub. The fundamental welfare solution remains addressing demand for rhino horn, rather than repeatedly stressing the animals themselves.