Why is rhino horn so expensive?

Rhino poaching is being driven by the demand for rhino horn in Asian countries, particularly China and Viet Nam. Rhino horn is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but increasingly common is its use as a status symbol to display success and wealth.

What’s so special about rhino horns?

Rhino horn is made up primarily of keratin – a protein found in hair, fingernails, and animal hooves. When carved and polished, horn takes on a translucence and luster that increase as the object ages. In ancient Greece, rhino horn was believed to have the ability to purify water.

Is rhino horn expensive than gold?

For example, rhinoceros horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds or cocaine. A recent report puts the price of rhino horn in Asia at $60,000 per pound. … The number of rhinoceroses poached skyrocketed from 13 per year to 1,004 per year in only 6 years.

What is rhino horn worth more than?

For example, rhinoceros horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds or cocaine. … Although there is no scientific proof of its medical value, rhino horn remains highly prized in traditional Asian medicine, where it is ground into a fine powder as treatment for a variety of illnesses such as nosebleeds and fevers.

How can you tell if a rhino horn is real?

In many instances fake Rhino horn would have a more flat shape surface, whereas a deep concave profile is noticeable in a real Rhino horn. One of the last features that indicate a real Rhino horn is the presence of loose “hair like” fibres at the outer base section of the horn.

Is it illegal to own a rhino horn?

Currently, only 5 states—California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Washington—have banned the purchase, sale, trade and possession with the intention to sell of ivory and rhino horns.

What is black rhino horn used for?

We found that people used rhino horn for a number of purposes, principally as a medicine and as a status symbol. The most prevalent use was for treating hangovers. Other uses included using it to honour terminally ill relatives. We also found that consumers preferred wild rhino horn over farmed rhino horn.

How much is a rhino horn worth per kg?

The price for raw rhino horn ranges from USD 3,604 to USD 17,000 per kilo, calculated to equate to an overall average of USD 8,683 per kilo.

What is the current price of ivory?

The price currently paid for raw ivory in Asia, according to an investigation by the Wildlife Justice Commission, is currently between $597/kg and $689/kg, in U.S. dollars. Ivory sourced in Africa and sold in Asia has additional costs such as transportation, taxes and broker commissions.

Is rhino horn illegal in China?

China banned domestic trade in tiger bone and rhino horn in 1993 and this ban has been critical in conserving these iconic species. … The newly announced legalisation means that tiger bone and rhino horn would be allowed to be used in hospitals if the animals have been bred in captivity.