Horn trade pressures some rhinos (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website, The Hague

A rise in poaching has put some rhino populations at risk of extinction.

The wildlife trade organisation Traffic has documented a five-fold increase in the volume of rhino horn entering the illegal market between 2000 and 2005.

The populations most affected are in western and central Africa and Nepal, with one sub-species in Cameroon believed extinct already.

However, overall, rhinos are doing well with Africa-wide numbers increasing by about 6% every year.

The Traffic report was released at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) summit in The Hague.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6726569.stm

How shameful to think that in the 21st century a species could be wiped for the sake of magic charms.