“Rhino horn consumers are wealthy and powerful and as such are seen as influential people within Vietnamese society,” says Dr Jo Shaw, WWF-SA’s Rhino Co-ordinator. She adds, “While their reasons for purchasing and consuming rhino horn are linked to an underlying belief in its medicinal properties there is a current trend of use to enhance social standing.” - Halil

Shaw further explains, “Research reveals that typical users of rhino horn are successful, well-educated men, over the age of 40 who live in Viet Nam’s main urban centres. They value their luxury lifestyle, which is often based around meeting peer group pressures and tend to view animals as commodities to serve functional and income-generating purposes rather than feeling an emotional connection”. - Halil

*bump* - Halil

Maybe there's a market for fake rhino horn so that these people can pretend they're buying what all the "cool kids" are buying? - Heather

Heather, you win the Nobel prize! That's a fantastic idea, just give them cornflour instead! I've said this before, but I think fighting cultural beliefs is easier said than done, it's often steeped in 100s if not 1000s of years of belief. How do you deal with that? - Halil