Some consumers of black market Rhino-horn soup (apparently a delicacy in Asia) may get more (or less?) than they bargained for. Two horns stolen from a South African museum are from the 19th century, when taxidermy followed a rather unique process. Jatti Bredekamp, chief executive of Iziko Museums explains…
“Before the mid-twentieth century, taxidermy mounts were prepared by being soaked in arsenic and preserved from insect infestation through regular applications of DDT, both highly toxic poisons that retain their toxicity over time,” he said.
Bredekamp said the horns were deliberately targeted in a carefully planned robbery, and might be destined for Asia, where ground rhino horns are a prized aphrodisiac.
The theft is unfortunate, but hopefully a few poachers (or their supporters) get what they’ve got coming.
More from Reuters…
Photo courtesy of Matt Field