Can Fake Horns Save Rhinos?

The headline for this Guardian article is somewhat misleading.  There is no indication in the article that there is an organized plan by scientists or conservationist to flood the market with fake rhino horns.  The article describes a technical concept by which very convincing, but essentially fake rhino horns could be produced in order to flood the black market with these fake horns.  The assumption is that this flood of fakes would depress the market and depress the value of real rhino horns to the point that poaching would not be profitable. 

The team believe the development could lead to the rhino horn market being swamped with faux horns, thereby sowing confusion and causing a price crash – making it less profitable for poachers to source the real thing.

“[The idea is] any punter who wants to spend 1,000 quid on a couple of grams says, ‘Wait a minute, what is my probability that my stuff is real or that it is just horse hair?’” said Vollrath. “It is just rattling the market.” However, the team say it will be up to others to develop their idea.

Assuming that some group put the time, financial resources and black market contacts together to actually produce and move these fake rhino horns into the global market, is there not another potential outcome?

Dr Richard Thomas from the wildlife organisation Traffic said that while the latest study had good intentions, it posed considerable risks. “Pushing a synthetic alternative could help to reinforce the perception that rhino horn is a desirable commodity, thus perpetuating existing demand, while presenting consumers with a synthetic alternative may actually stimulate demand for the real thing, thus exacerbating the existing situation,” he said.

There is another option that sadly appears much more difficult to implement.  Getting the deluded assholes that are buying rhino horns and powder to just stop doing it.  The Asian market for this bloody trade needs to be closed down through both social and political pressure.