Rhinos Being Threatened Over Horns

Rhinos are the second biggest mammals in the world and have been around for over 50 million years. Rhinos are known primarily for the large horn on their head. The natural use for their distinctive horn is to protect their young, forage for food, and defend their territory. Their horn has also been used for years  in traditional Asian medicine to treat numerous ailments, although studies show that rhino horns have no medicinal value. Because of this high demand for the horns in the Asian medical field, rhinos are being poached at a significantly high rate. In the past 40 years, rhino populations have declined by 95% worldwide. Rhinos biggest predator is not another animal or the environment, their biggest predator is humans. In 2011, over 440 rhinos were killed, most to be stripped of their horn and used for medical purposes. If the poaching continues at the current rate, rhinos will most likely become extinct in our lifetime.

Learn more about how these beautiful animals are being put in danger, and what you can do to help.