In just 50 years, we have lost 70% of all wildlife

The reasons for poaching are often the high demand for valuable animal products in different cultures. Elephant tusks are used to create carvings, jewelry and ornaments, while rhino horn is often sold as a miraculous medical cure in some parts of Asia.

Despite the fact that rhino horn is made up entirely of keratin, the same material as our fingernails and hair, demand continues to drive illegal hunting. This trade not only threatens the species concerned, but also negatively impacts ecosystems and contributes to global illegality.

Sources:

• WWF (2023). “Rhino mortality and poaching trends.” World Wildlife Fund.
• TRAFFIC (2022). “The Illegal Wildlife Trade: An Overview.”
• CITES (2021). “Wildlife Crime: An Industry in the Shadows.”

Animal extinction

Animal extinction in Africa is a serious environmental challenge. Poaching of elephants and rhinoceroses is the main reason why many of these majestic species are threatened. Thousands are killed every year for their tusks and horns, which are in demand on the illegal market.

Since the 2000s, the elephant population has declined by almost 30%, from around 600,000 to fewer than 415,000 individuals. Rhinoceros have declined from 18,000 to around 4,500.

The scale and brutality of poaching threatens to wipe out these species, making it crucial to strengthen protection and stop the illegal trade.