Donate your nails and do your bit for rhino conservation

SINGAPORE To commemorate World Rhino Day, which falls on Monday, or Sept 22, visitors to the Singapore Zoo are encouraged to donate their nail clippings to a "Jar of Nails" as a gesture of support for conservation efforts.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the statement from Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which runs the Singapore Zoo:

Singapore Zoo will launch a rhinoceros conservation awareness campaign, titled Rhinos in Trouble: The Hornest Truth, from September 20 to October 20 to raise awareness about the plight of rhinoceroses in the wild, and is working closely with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and Wildlife Conservation Society (Vietnam) to stamp out illegal trade of rhino horns.

The month-long campaign is held in conjunction with World Rhino Day, which falls on September 22.

Visitors to Singapore Zoo are encouraged to donate their nail clippings to symbolise their commitment to rhino conservation.

International trade of rhinoceros horn has been illegal since the 80s, yet the market is still thriving today even though science has proven that rhino horn is only as useful as a medicine as human hair and nails are. Rhino horns are made of keratin, the same material found in human hair and nails.

Recent studies by TRAFFIC and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have revealed that current consumption of products made from rhino horn has gone beyond perceived medicinal purposes.

Rhino horn has become a luxury item and a status symbol. With the recent increase in wealthy individuals in Southeast Asia, rhino horn is also being used as a "hangover cure" after excessive alcohol consumption by the affluent.

The year 2013 set a record for rhino poaching in South Africa - home to around 75 per cent of the world's total rhino population, with 1,004 killed. As of 10 September 2014, poachers had already butchered 769 rhinos in the country. If the current trend continues for the rest of 2014, the number of rhinos killed is likely to exceed record set in 2013 by another 100.

Even in Singapore, where the trade of endangered species and animal parts is strictly regulated, there had been cases where its ports were used as transit points. On January 10, eight pieces of rhinoceros horns weighing a total of about 21.5kg were confiscated at Changi Airport by the Singapore authorities.

With Rhinos in Trouble: The Hornest Truth, Singapore Zoo hopes to raise public awareness and engage Singaporeans to help in the efforts to save the rhinoceros in the wild.

Ms Claire Chiang, Chairman, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said: "We urge the public to refuse any rhino horn or rhino horn products should they be offered any, and to please inform all their friends and relatives to do the same. If we don't buy the product, demand will fall, and rhinoceroses will not suffer needless deaths. Together, we have to, and we can, ensure there is a future for these magnificent creatures."

In a statement, Mr David Seow, Secretary General of the Singapore Chinese Druggists Association, appeals to Singaporeans to comply with the Government's ban on the sale of any rhinoceros products and wishes to convey that there are many alternative medicinal material and products that can replace rhinoceros horns. Members of Singapore Chinese Druggists Association also fully support international conservation agreements and efforts to save the rhinoceros from extinction.

Rhinos in Trouble: The Hornest Truth kick-starts with a public seminar on 20 Sept from 1pm - 5.30pm, and topics include:

- "Rhino Revolution from Africa to Asia" talk by Ms Jennifer Fox, Co-founder and partner, Thornybush Private Game Reserve, South Africa

- "Rhino Horn Trade in Vietnam" talk by Ms Duong Viet Hong, Communications Manager, Wildlife Conservation Society, Vietnam programme

- "Changing minds to save Rhinos: Demand reduction through behaviour change in Vietnam" talk by Dr Naomi Doak, Coordinator, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Greater Mekong Programme

The seminar also features a photography exhibition of the critically endangered Sumatran rhino, taken by wildlife photographer Mr Stephen Belcher. Proceeds from the sale of photographs will go towards wildlife conservation efforts.

Admission to Singapore Zoo is $28 per adult and $18 per child aged 3-12 years.

For more information, visit https://www.zoo.com.sg/events-promos/rhino-month-14.html

To make your stand against the rhino horn trade, go to www.zoo.com.sg/thehornesttruth