Short film launched to call for end to rhino horn trade

The Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) launched a short film on August 22, calling for a joint effort to stop the rhino carnage in Africa and end the rhino horn trade.

In 2017, as many as 1,028 rhinos were needlessly slaughtered by poachers in South Africa (Photo: Education for Nature – Vietnam)
In 2017, as many as 1,028 rhinos were needlessly slaughtered by poachers in South Africa (Photo: Education for Nature – Vietnam)

The film tells the story of a young and successful businessman who has a large number of fans on social networks. However, after he clicked into the ‘Yes’ option in an eye-catching ad entitled ‘Do you like using rhino horn?”, he immediately saw the number of his followers reduce to zero. He then realised that people today do not support the consumption of rhino horn.

According to the ENV, Vietnam is considered one of the main transit countries and is the largest market for illegal rhino horn consumption in the world. Vietnam’s last Java rhino was killed for its horn in 2010. Many Vietnamese people still blindly believe that rhino horn is a cure for a wide variety of ailments.

In 2017, as many as 1,028 rhinos were needlessly slaughtered by poachers in South Africa, with an average of three rhinos killed every day.

In light of this disturbing trend, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned that wild African rhinos may be extinct by 2026.

Through the video, the ENV sends a call to end the rhino horn trade, protect the animal and eradicate people’s mind-set that rhino horn is a miracle cure or a luxury gift.

The ENV also encourages people to report any violation to its hotline 1800-1522 so that they can put a halt to illegal acts.