A record number of rhinos have been killed this year in South Africa, fueled by an unsubstantiated belief in the healing powers of the medicines made from their horns. That horn, which is made of keratin and is reputed to have medicinal benefits in Asian traditional medicine, costs more per ounce than gold. According to the South African Government, more than 455 African rhinos have been lost to illegal killings this year so far. A total of 448 rhinos were killed last year. Conservationists have noted with increasing alarm that if the current trend continues, rhinos could be extinct in a matter of years. When we look at the rhino poaching arrests statistics the total this year is at 207. A Woman Wanted to Sell Rhino Horn In this case from our Archives we look at an article that appeared in the local papers a few years back. Reg Horn from Justicia Investigations had received information that a woman wanted to sell rhino horn. Detectives from the endangered species unit in Pretoria are expected in Durban today to take over investigations after five people were arrested when they tried to sell rhino horn to police last night. The detectives are to follow up information that security guards at the world renowned Hluhluwe game reserve in Zululand are allegedly killing rhino and elephant and selling the horns and tusks. The game reserve is well known for its white rhino. Two weeks of investigations came to an end last night when a woman, a schoolteacher from Empangeni, offered to sell a rhino horn to a detective from the serious violent crimes unit for R90 000. The unit’s Cap Peter Joubert said private investigator Reg Horn of Justicia Investigations received information about poaching and was told that a woman wanted to sell rhino horn. Soon after the arrests last night police made contact with the Natal Parks Board (NPB) officials who were excited at the arrests.
