Cutting off rhinos' horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works [View all]

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Cutting off the horns of sedated rhinos with a chainsaw has been viewed by wildlife conservationists in Africa for more than 30 years as a necessary evil to save the iconic endangered species from poaching.

They hoped the drastic action was working, but evidence was scarce.

Now, a study published Thursday in the academic journal Science has found that dehorning rhinos has led to a large reduction in poaching in game reserves in and around the Kruger National Park in northern South Africa — an area that’s home to 25% of the world’s rhinos and is especially vulnerable to poaching.

The results of the seven-year study that ended in 2023 are seen as long-awaited evidence that removing rhinos’ horns — which needs to be done every one to two years because they grow back — helps them survive, even if the animals lose part of their makeup.

https://apnews.com/article/rhinos-dehorning-conservation-wildlife-poaching-africa-kruger-01d20eac07ba8b0024d465832b031e66