What do people use rhinos' horns for?

do they have to be killed to take the horns?

What do people use rhinos' horns for?
Ok first of all, rhino horn is NOT made of ivory, it is made of keratin which is the same as your fingernails. It is more or less hair that has been compressed tightly into a solid mass.





Anyway, to answer your questions.....





The horn is used for sevearl things. One, there are some people out there that believe that the horn of a rhino can be used as a medicine to treat various illnesses and personal issues (think viagra). The horn is also used in the making of handles on daggers. I am sure you have seen photos of them.... http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/Endan... I have also seen other misc objects made like small cups and bowls. For the most part though it is meds and the knives.





With being killed to obtain them. No the rhinos do not need to be killed to remove the horn and actually there are many parks were the rangers/park officials are trying to trim the horns back to keep poachers from going after them. The catch is the rhino has to be knocked down (drugged) so they can remove it. Since poachers need to be in and out quick and do not have access to the drugs they need to knock down the rhino there only option is to kill, cut and run.





Side note, when poachers remove the horn they go down to and into the skin. When rangers/officals trim the horn they do not. They leave enough that the rhino has some toughness to the nose to move things around and for defense plus if they go into the skin the rhino runs the risk of infection. For the most part they take just enough that the poachers are like "its not worth the effort" to go after it.
Reply:No death necessary for horn removal however most poachers have access to guns as those are cheaper than tranquilizers powerful enough to knock out a rhino.


They use them for Ivory-like things. As you know Ivory is an expensive an exotic used for making of many statues or jewelery. More commonly though Rhinoceros horns are used in traditional Asian aphrodisiacs , and for dagger handles in Yemen and Oman.
Reply:rhino horns and elephant tusks are make of ivory and it's vary valuable and can be sold for lots of money. that's what they do with them and yes they have to be killed because rhinos can't survive with out their horns



Loose Teeth