With the incredibly high price tag of rhino horn in the east, many aspire to one day get their hands on one, so they can be like this guy, Mr L. Not just for supposed health benefits, but also status.

We’re aware that there is a misperception in East Asia, where people believe that rhino horn has health benefits. It seems this is not the only problem, as the high price has made rhino horn a status symbol too.

According to Timeslive:

Vietnamese citizen, Mr L is wealthy. Influential. A decision-maker. His rhino horn shows that he has “arrived”. He is important in his community – and in his own mind.

His rhino horn was a gift from his wife or his mother, or from a business partner trying to sweeten a deal.

It is one of his most important possessions. Something to show off to his friends and peers, whose opinions of him he holds in high regard.

The article reports that people look up to Mr. L, because of his rhino horn and hope to one day have rhino horn of their own.

Mr L’s subordinates at work aspire to be in his shoes one day, and that means getting hold of rhino horn. They make up the 16% of the population that has not used rhino horn, but want to. Their problem is the $60000 (about R590000) per kilogram price tag.

[more here]

Click here to visit the Save The Rhino International.