Toxic avenger: One man's desperate idea to save the rhinos--poison their horns

September 1, 2010, 12:00 pm by Scientific American: Health

With rhinoceros poaching in Africa approaching an all-time high , one nature preserve owner has had enough. Ed Hern, owner of the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve near Johannesburg, South Africa, is experimenting with injecting cyanide into his rhinos' horns. He believes the poison will not harm the rhinos, because there are no blood vessels in the horn to carry the poison the rest of the rhino's body. But if anyone kills the animals and sells the horns for use in traditional Asian medicine, the end-consumer could pay the ultimate price. [More] South Africa - Africa - Poaching - Rhinoceros - Medicine

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