Rhino horn more valuable than gold, diamonds

New York, May 16: Rhinoceros horn fetches poachers more than what one gets from comparable weight of gold or diamonds, a critical factor that is driving the extinction of one of the world's largest herbivores, says a new study. The researchers noted that many of the world's largest herbivores -- including several species of elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses and gorillas -- are in danger of becoming extinct because of the tremendous financial incentive for poachers to sell animal parts for consumer goods and food. The researchers found that from 2007 to 2013, the number of rhinoceroses poached skyrocketed from 13 per year to an alarming 1,004 per year. The findings appeared in the journal Science Advances.