Kaziranga National Park is a story of success when it comes to conservation of rhinos – but what they’ve done to achieve it is allowing its workers to shoot and even kill potential poachers. So far, the park has killed 50 people.

Rhinos are safe there – a century ago, there was only a handful of Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Now, the park hosts more than 2,400, which is two-thirds of the world’s population. However, little is talked about the fact that in 2015, more people were shot dead by park guards then the number of rhinos killed by poachers.

These people all went after rhino horn, as they could be sold for as much as $6,000 for 100g and are considerably more expensive than gold. They are mostly marketed as a miracle cure for everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction.

So yes, rhinos do need protection, but this has gone too far. National park’s workers can kill a person and get away with impunity. The question is, could this kind of punishment ever be justified? And how many innocent people were killed?

More info: Kaziranga National Park (h/t: bbc)

Kaziranga National Park is a story of success when it comes to conservation of rhinos – but they kill poachers

Image credits: PA

So far, the park has killed 50 people

Image credits: EPA

Rhinos are safe there – a century ago, there was only a handful of Indian one-horned rhinoceros

Image credits: Anupam Nath

Now, the park hosts more than 2,400, which is two-thirds of the world’s population

Image credits: Jonas Stenqvist

However, more people were shot dead by park guards then the number of rhinos killed by poachers

Image credits: PA

These people all went after rhino horn, as they could be sold for as much as $6,000 for 100g

Image credits: Emma Gatland

They are mostly marketed as a miracle cure for everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction

Image credits: Rudi Hulshof

So yes, rhinos do need protection, but this has gone too far

Image credits: Martin Harvey

National park’s workers can kill a person and get away with impunity

Image credits: Sebastien Degardin

The question is, could this kind of punishment ever be justified?And how many innocent people were killed?

Image credits: Michael Spain