One of the things we hear constantly about rhino horns is those crazy Chinese, man, they think they can grind up the horn to make an aphrodisiac powder. Viagra just wasn't good enough for them and they have to whack rhinos.
Ed: does Viagra even work?
Unknown as it's one of the few drugs I haven't tried but Bob Dole said it does and, as we all know, he's the One Honest Republican.
It seems aphrodisiacal properties are not really so much the reason it happens. (Scientific American: The Hard Truth about the Rhino Horn "Aphrodisiac" Market)
Note: this is mostly a How About That thing since we don't want to see rhinos getting whacked for any reason.
Not all rhino horn is sold on the black market. Much of it is sold as a luxury item
Credit: PaulFleet Getty Images
This is only starting to get weird.
Most of the desire for rhino horn seems unrelated to any wish for a raging hard-on, experts say.
- SA
That language is kind of racy for a circumspect publication such as Scientific American but I never change attributed inserts; that really is as it was written.
The reality behind the demand is far more complex. Historically rhino populations were decimated by uncontrolled trophy hunting during the European colonial era. These days the main threat to the surviving rhinos comes from the illegal rhino horn trade between Africa and Asia. Certain buyers in Vietnam and China—the largest and second-largest black market destinations respectively—covet rhino horn products for different reasons. Some purchase horn chunks or powder for traditional medicinal purposes, to ingest or to give others as an impressive gift. Wealthy buyers bid for antique rhino horn carvings such as cups or figurines to display or as investments. A modern market for rhino horn necklaces, bracelets and beads has also sprung up.
- SA
As always, the interested student is invited ... the original article is extensive.
You see the gist of it in much more complexity to the problem than it seemed. No need for the editorial on how shitty it is to kill these animals to turn them into piano keys or whatever reason anyone does it.
Ed: does Viagra even work?
Unknown as it's one of the few drugs I haven't tried but Bob Dole said it does and, as we all know, he's the One Honest Republican.
It seems aphrodisiacal properties are not really so much the reason it happens. (Scientific American: The Hard Truth about the Rhino Horn "Aphrodisiac" Market)
Note: this is mostly a How About That thing since we don't want to see rhinos getting whacked for any reason.
Not all rhino horn is sold on the black market. Much of it is sold as a luxury item
Credit: PaulFleet Getty Images
This is only starting to get weird.
Most of the desire for rhino horn seems unrelated to any wish for a raging hard-on, experts say.
- SA
That language is kind of racy for a circumspect publication such as Scientific American but I never change attributed inserts; that really is as it was written.
The reality behind the demand is far more complex. Historically rhino populations were decimated by uncontrolled trophy hunting during the European colonial era. These days the main threat to the surviving rhinos comes from the illegal rhino horn trade between Africa and Asia. Certain buyers in Vietnam and China—the largest and second-largest black market destinations respectively—covet rhino horn products for different reasons. Some purchase horn chunks or powder for traditional medicinal purposes, to ingest or to give others as an impressive gift. Wealthy buyers bid for antique rhino horn carvings such as cups or figurines to display or as investments. A modern market for rhino horn necklaces, bracelets and beads has also sprung up.
- SA
As always, the interested student is invited ... the original article is extensive.
You see the gist of it in much more complexity to the problem than it seemed. No need for the editorial on how shitty it is to kill these animals to turn them into piano keys or whatever reason anyone does it.
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