A repost from Zululand Rhino Orphanage:
A big thank you to @thecycleoflifect for sponsoring our recent horn trimming procedures to help us keep our rhino orphans safe 🦏💚
Horn trimming is a necessary practice to help reduce the risk of poaching – the very reason that these rhinos have been orphaned! It may look very intense but it is a painless procedure that is done by professionals who aim to work as quickly as possible. The rhino orphans are sedated and their horns are cut above the growth plate to avoid damage and pain (just like cutting your nails) and then ground down to remove as much as possible. The horns are then covered with hoof oil to protect against bacteria and fungus. We use this opportunity to collect important data such as horn and body measurements and DNA samples including blood, hair and tissue. Each rhino also gets an identification notch and a microchip.
It is important to note that horn trimming is not the answer to the poaching crisis but along with other management and security measures it does significantly reduce the risk of poaching.
