Last year, a report (pdf) claimed poaching of rhinoceroses is at a 15-year high. The animals are being killed for their horns, with the increased demand coming from Asia. Rhinoceros horn is used in "traditional" Asian medicine, with (bullshit) claims it can cure a host of maledictions from cancer to erectile dysfunction.
To combat this & other threats from poachers, some conservation groups have begun supplying equipment, mercenaries, and former special forces operatives to protect elephants, rhinos, and tigers.
A few days back, Scientific American had a post about a South African nature reserve's plan to deter/deal with the people who would reward the poachers that would kill their Rhinos. The reserve is attempting to lace a Rhino's horn with cyanide. If a Rhino should be killed & its horn taken to be used by some asshole wanting to get his dick hard, he might suffer death instead.
continued at Daily Kos....
