Do you remember your early visits to the zoo as children?Out of all animals, one that was particularly fascinating was the rhinoceros.

Huge, armored beings with a unicorn-like horn, extremely powerful, yet gentle herbivores, they looked like the direct descendants of dinosaurs.

Rhinoceros are the second largest mammals in the world. Characterized by their size, their extremely hard, protective skin (1.5–5 cm thick) and large horn, they are one of the most sought after species among poachers.

In all, there are five species of rhino in the world: Black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos. But sadly, out of these five, three of the species are critically endangered.

Why poachers kill Rhinos?

Rhinos are hunted for their priceless horn. Unlike other horned mammals whose horns have a bony core, the horns of rhinos are made of keratin, like human nails.

These horns have been used in the traditional medicinal practices of Europe and Asia, especially as cancer cure! But incidentally, these medicinal practices are not even scientifically supported.

Then there is the ornamental use of horns! It is used to make traditional dagger handles in places like Yemen and Oman.

Even worse, in Vietnam, powdered horn is inhaled as status symbol!

All these reasons show, not the usefulness of the horn, but point out the human selfishness and greed! These flimsy reasons are fulfilled at the price of life.

Not just of the rhinos, but people as well! According to Sean Willmore, President of the International Ranger Federation, worldwide, poachers murder more than two park rangers per week.

And sadly, 2012 saw the extinction of the Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros to poachers. Now there are only 60 of this specific specie left surviving in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia.