Ordinary South Africans and others against the poaching and killing of SA rhinos

This petition directed to the South African Government is aimed at raising awareness nationally and internationally of the plight of South Africa's Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). These endangered animals are being ruthlessly poached and brutally killed at an alarming rate for the so-called medicinal power of their horns. It is a myth that rhino horn has any medicinal or aphrodisiac powers at all. In 1983 the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published the results of a pharmacological study conducted by researchers at Hoffmann-LaRoche in "The Environmentalist". The study "found no evidence that rhino horn has any medicinal effect as an antipyretic and would be ineffective in reducing fever, a common usage in much of Asia."
Testing also confirmed that "rhino horn, like fingernails, is made of agglutinated hair" and "has no analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmolytic nor diuretic properties" and "no bactericidal effect could be found against suppuration and intestinal bacteria."
Dr. Arne Schiotz of WWF summed it up: "This proves that rhino horn is of no use to anyone except the original owner. You would get the same effect from chewing your own fingernails." Moreover, rhino horn has no aphrodisiac or mystical properties whatsoever.

The petitioners are ordinary South Africans and others who want the SA Government to get rid of Asian syndicates or anyone else who pay destitute South Africans huge amounts of money to destroy their natural heritage for the sake of a myth. This has got to stop. No matter how long it takes, no matter how much effort it requires, ordinary South Africans will never give up fighting those who want to enrich themselves by poaching off our beloved country.

We also want the SA Government to launch an international campaign to educate people, and especially Asian countries, about the myth that rhino horn has any medicinal, aphrodisiac or mystical qualities