A combination of ancient Chinese belief and modern financial speculation help to explain why rhinoceros populations are coming under renewed pressure from poachers.

In traditional Chinese medicine, rhino horn is prized as a key ingredient in An Gong Niu Huang Wan, considered one of the three main restorative tonics. Shaved or ground into a powder, the horn is dissolved in boiling water and used to treat fevers, rheumatism and gout.

The Chinese government banned the trade in rhino horn in 1993 at the same time as it imposed a similar prohibition on the sale of tiger body parts. Since the ban, the ...

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