A campaign calling to end the use of rhino horn to cure cancer broughttogether a Vietnamese-American Hollywood actress, aVietnamese-Australian singer-songwriter, a representative from theCustoms Department and the chairman of Vietnam's Cancer Society.
The campaign organisers, a mix of local and international preservation groups, held a press conference in Hanoi on April 10.
"Vietnam can help save the rhinos," said Maggie Q, who has starred inNikita and Mission Impossible. She flew to Vietnam with her mother, whois from the northern Vietnam province of Ninh Binh.
In 2007, 13 rhinos were killed. But that number soared last year to 1,215 rhinos.
"If the killing can't be stopped, there will be no more rhinos in the wild in 10 years," WildAid Director John Baker said.
The Government is committed to stopping wildlife trafficking,especially in rhino horn, ivory and tiger products, said Le Duc Binh ofthe Customs Department.
In a project supported byWildAid, Working Dogs for Conservation started training two dogs in theUS to join the Hai Phong Port Customs Office in September.
Change, a Vietnamese NGO; WildAid, an internationalanti-wildlife-trafficking organisation; and the African WildlifeFoundation have teamed up to convince the people of Vietnam that rhinohorn cannot cure cancer.
"In our survey last year, 75percent of the people said they believed rhino horns have some sort ofmedicinal use and they hardly knew where they had the information from,"said Change Director Hong Minh Hong.
One in everythree people interviewed believed rhino horn could help cure cancer. Onethird did not know that the rhino horns must be cut when they are stillalive.
Scientists have made clear that rhino horn is made of keratine, just like human nails.
Like in any large event in Vietnam, the meeting couldn't end without asinger coming out on stage. Vietnamese-Australian singer-songwriterThanh Bui covered The Beatles' Help, calling on people in Vietnam not toseek out and buy rhino horns.
The English languagedaily Vietnam News, published by the Vietnam News Agency, is one of morethan 20 media outlets that support the campaign.-VNA
The campaign organisers, a mix of local and international preservation groups, held a press conference in Hanoi on April 10.
"Vietnam can help save the rhinos," said Maggie Q, who has starred inNikita and Mission Impossible. She flew to Vietnam with her mother, whois from the northern Vietnam province of Ninh Binh.
In 2007, 13 rhinos were killed. But that number soared last year to 1,215 rhinos.
"If the killing can't be stopped, there will be no more rhinos in the wild in 10 years," WildAid Director John Baker said.
The Government is committed to stopping wildlife trafficking,especially in rhino horn, ivory and tiger products, said Le Duc Binh ofthe Customs Department.
In a project supported byWildAid, Working Dogs for Conservation started training two dogs in theUS to join the Hai Phong Port Customs Office in September.
Change, a Vietnamese NGO; WildAid, an internationalanti-wildlife-trafficking organisation; and the African WildlifeFoundation have teamed up to convince the people of Vietnam that rhinohorn cannot cure cancer.
"In our survey last year, 75percent of the people said they believed rhino horns have some sort ofmedicinal use and they hardly knew where they had the information from,"said Change Director Hong Minh Hong.
One in everythree people interviewed believed rhino horn could help cure cancer. Onethird did not know that the rhino horns must be cut when they are stillalive.
Scientists have made clear that rhino horn is made of keratine, just like human nails.
Like in any large event in Vietnam, the meeting couldn't end without asinger coming out on stage. Vietnamese-Australian singer-songwriterThanh Bui covered The Beatles' Help, calling on people in Vietnam not toseek out and buy rhino horns.
The English languagedaily Vietnam News, published by the Vietnam News Agency, is one of morethan 20 media outlets that support the campaign.-VNA
