ProtectingSpecies

Rhinos are often not killed outright by poachers but instead immobilized (not anaesthetized) with darts, to avoid the sound of gunfire attracting the attention of anti-poaching rangers. Once subdued, their horns are brutally removed with an axe while the animal is still alive. There is also a belief in some markets that horn taken from a living animal is more potent, allowing it to command a higher price. Today, only an estimated three percent of the original rhino population remains, highlighting the devastating impact of this trade.

Pangolins are now the most trafficked animals in the world. They are often subjected to extreme cruelty, including being boiled alive to remove their scales. These scales are made of keratin, the same substance as human fingernails, yet are falsely believed by some cultures to have medicinal properties. Pangolin meat is also highly praised (and priced) but most trafficked pangolins die while being transported to supply the restaurant markets.

Turtles are poached throughout the world for their beautiful shells, meat, eggs, and the live trade. Easy to capture when the females come ashore to lay their eggs, several species are now critically endangered.