When rhinos have their horns removed to deter poachers from targeting them, the process is called dehorning. Dehorning operations are expensive and resource-intensive because they are most effective when all rhinos in a given park or locality are dehorning in a short time. The dehorning strategy also requires regular upkeep since rhino horns regrow life fingernails. Even so, studies have shown that dehorning is the only method proven to quickly and significantly reduce poaching pressure.
To effectively carry out a dehorning operation requires a team of trained wildlife professionals. First, rhinos are located and sedated from helicopters. Then, a ground team carefully lays the sedated rhino on its side before humanely sawing off its horns. Once the horns are removed, they are given a barcode so that they can be tracked if they enter the illegal wildlife trade, and the rhino is given an antidote to the sedation and released. To see the whole process in action, watch Wild Hope: Rhino Ops.
