“Rhino horn is of no use to you but it is extremely important to rhinos. You waste tons of money on a mythical belief; you kill rhinos to try to treat your illness. Do not be fooled by rhino traders; protect the world’s rhinos and do not consume rhino horns”, said one young woman at ENV’s second rhino protection exhibit at Vincom Mega Mall – Royal City one of the biggest and most famous shopping centers in Vietnam, last Saturday.
ENV has been focusing our rhino horn campaigns on luxury shopping malls with the aim of targeting consumers and potential consumers; wealthy, status-driven people who can afford to buy the product, which retails at a higher price per gram than gold.
Shoppers visited our exhibit to learn about rhino horn consumption in Vietnam, its consequences for rhinos in other countries in Africa, and what they can do to stop it before it is too late.
Around 1,000 took part in our activities, such as participating in a quiz, watching short films, and sharing their ideas on how to persuade their friends and family not to use rhino horn as either a symbol status or traditional medicine.
Many more were also encouraged to report any related crimes to ENV’s free hotline, email address or new mobile apphttp://bit.ly/ENVReportWildlifeCrime.