Wildlife poaching kills millions of species annually. A rhino is killed every 16 hours because of the high demand for rhino horns. If poaching continues, rhinos could soon be extinct. Rhino horns can be sold for more than $100,000 making it more valuable than diamond and gold (watch this video). Some rhino habitat ranges have already seen the local extinction of the rhino, there are only 2 northern white rhinos left. Rhino horns are in high demand as they are thought to be a status symbol and a cure for cancer. Rhino horn has no medicinal value, it is made of the same structure as your hair and finger nails.

​

The ivory trade is still alive and strong on the illegal markets and it is driving the deaths of 33,000, on average, elephants a year. Organized Wildlife crime is the 4th largest market in the world, coming after drug trafficking, human trafficking and weapons trafficking.

​

Several of the major target species act as fuel for the trade and money for the poaching kingpin empires. Poaching steals from us all, and many times the ground players, poachers, are just cogs in a large machine. Poverty drives poaching.

​

- Global Conservation Force