AWF has ramped up its public awareness efforts in Vietnam, from flashy TV specials to rhino horn education workshops for cancer patients.
There’s progress in the battle to end ivory trafficking in Asia. In July 2015, for example, U.S. and Chinese Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping committed to halting the domestic commercial trade of ivory in their countries. China followed this with an announcement in October that it will ban, for one year, the import of African ivory hunting trophies.
When it comes to the illicit trade in rhino horn, however, the news isn’t nearly so positive. As this issue went to print, South Africa—which holds the majority of Africa’s rhinos—was on track to lose more than 1,100 rhinos in 2015, about the same rate as in 2014.