Wild black rhinos are approaching extinction faster perhaps than any other African mammal. In Namibia's deserts they occur at low densities, have home ranges up to 2000 km2, and have birth intervals that exceed 30 months. Clearly, they are difficult to study. Practical constraints will always be placed on sample sizes which, in turn, limit the robustness of generalizations. Nevertheless, the international conservation community has not written off this flagship species, and the luxury of awaiting the results of 10-year studies is something that neither CITES nor concerned groups can afford. Loutit and Montgomery (1994) suggest that dehorning may be needed to develop a sustainable horn harvest to save the world's remaining wild rhinos, and they challenge a number of points reported in Berger et al. (1993). We do not take issue with the possibility that government harvesting and sale of rhino horn might possibly help eliminate the poaching industry; however, Loutit and Montgomery do not offer a rational consideration of issues associated with the efficacy of dehorning. Instead, their response is tainted by a political agenda to dis-
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