Dehorning rhinos significantly reduces poaching, study finds
Removing rhino horns leads to a dramatic drop in poaching, according to new research that casts doubt on the effectiveness of costly traditional anti-poaching methods used to protect the species across Africa.
Poaching remains a major threat to all five rhino species. Their horns, composed of keratin—the same material found in human fingernails—are highly valued in traditional medicine in countries like China and Vietnam. Despite a lack of scientific evidence, the horns are falsely believed to treat ailments such as fevers, pain, and low libido, with black-market prices reaching tens of thousands of dollars.
A piece of new research published in the journal Science sheds new light on how to better safeguard rhinos. Researchers analysed various protection strategies in South Africa’s Greater Kruger region, home to a quarter of the continent’s rhinos, and found that dehorning led to a nearly 80% decline in poaching between 2017 and 2023.
The collaborative research—conducted by scientists, conservationists, and government officials—found no statistically significant evidence that conventional anti-poaching efforts such as patrols, surveillance cameras, sniffer dogs, and helicopters substantially reduced poaching, despite their high costs. These methods did help detect many poachers but were far less effective at preventing killings.
“Dehorning rhinos to reduce incentives for poaching was found to achieve a 78% reduction in poaching using just 1.2% of the overall rhino protection budget,” said Dr Tim Kuiper of Nelson Mandela University, a lead author of the study. “We might need to rethink our goals. Do we just want to arrest poachers? It doesn’t appear to be making a massive difference to reducing rhino poaching.”
Dehorning involves sedating the animal, then using a power saw to carefully remove the horn while the animal is blindfolded and fitted with earplugs. The procedure is low-risk, painless, and temporary—the horn regrows, requiring re-dehorning every 18 to 24 months.
“The headline result is that dehorning stood out for its effectiveness. We are cautious to say that the other interventions are not working. They worked when measured by whether they were detecting poachers. But detecting and arresting a load of poachers doesn’t necessarily bend the curve on rhino poaching,” Kuiper said.
Despite these efforts, rhino poaching remains a serious concern in South Africa. In the first three months of 2025 alone, 103 were killed, with 420 lost the previous year. Rhino populations have plummeted in both Africa and Asia over recent decades due to poaching and habitat loss, a decline initially driven by European colonial hunting.
The researchers, representing institutions including the University of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University, Stellenbosch University, and the University of Oxford, cautioned that dehorning is not a cure-all. A small portion of the horn remains after the procedure, and some poachers are still willing to kill for it.
Sharon Haussmann, a prominent figure in South African rhino conservation and a co-author of the study, played a crucial role in coordinating cross-sector collaboration for the project. She passed away unexpectedly recently, and co-author Kuiper emphasised the importance of the partnerships she helped foster—often between groups that are typically wary of one another—in her memory.
“Is a rhino still a rhino without its horn? That’s a bigger question,” said Kuiper.
One study of black rhinos found that while dehorning reduced poaching, it also affected rhino behaviour. Dehorned animals became more cautious and occupied smaller territories, likely because horns play a role in asserting dominance and establishing territory.
“We wouldn’t like to keep dehorning them for the next 100 years,” Kuiper said. “Ideally we would like to address the drivers of poaching. But it is better than the impacts of poaching”
——————————————————————————
At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.
Donate now and join in the solution!
