Greed, Carnage and the Enduring Power of Myth
Fall 2013
Author(s): 
Shane P. Mahoney

Rhino horn is now worth more than cocaine or gold. A single horn can sell for half a million dollars if delivered to the right customers - usually in Southeast Asia, though increasing to a wider range of countries. Not surprisingly, the illegal killing of these animals has escalated ferociously in the last number of years, and horrific images of the great brutes disfigured by chain saws now appear frequently in news reports. The ongoing slaughter has raised the question as to whether or not legalizing the horn trade is the answer.