The Reality of Rhino Horns

August 13, 2012

Dr. Doak warns that wild animals should be left in the wild and should not be kept as pets.

National Coordinator for TRAFFIC in Vietnam, Dr. Naomi Doak, spoke to a crowd of nearly fifty people at American Center Hanoi on August 13 about the global illegal wildlife trade and its adverse effects on the environment and biodiversity.  She highlighted the trade in and consumption of rhino horn as a particularly urgent problem.  Two-hundred and eighty-one rhinos were poached in Africa in 2011, and Dr. Doak noted that this number is expected to be the same in 2012 if action is not taken by governments and citizens alike. She urged participants to say no to using illegally-sourced animal products such as rhino horn, pangolin scales, and hawksbill turtle jewelry.  "One person can make a difference," Doak told the crowd, "just one person can tell five others that they would prefer to see wildlife where it belongs – in the wild.”