As many as 80,084 strip cartoons “I’m a little rhino” were presentedto primary students in the central city of Da Nang at the internationalconference to popularise the elimination of rhino horn use.

The event was jointly held by the municipal Department of Educationand Training and the Vietnam CITES Management Authority in the city onMarch 17.

Specialists at the conference said thatthere are approximately 28,000 rhinos in the world, stressing that in2013, over 1,000 African rhinos were poached for horn consumption inAsia, including Vietnam.

They also presented numerous facts andstatistics to teachers, students and parents aimed to dispel themisconception that rhino horn has medicinal effects.

Do HoangTung, Director of the Vietnam CITES Management Authority, expressed hishope that cooperation with the municipal education sector will helpraise public awareness of protecting wild animals, especially endangeredspecies like rhinos and elephants, contributing to the implementationof the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFauna and Flora in Vietnam.

Teresa Telecky, Director of theWildlife Department with Humane Society International, said that amongthe five distinct types of rhinos, there are only 275 Sumatra rhinos and60 Java rhinos left in the world.

She said that the number ofrhinos poached for medicinal purposes is increasing, even as shedemonstrated scientific evidence proving that there is nopharmacological effect of rhino horns, evaluating their keratin contentsand drawing parallels between horns and human nails.

Le Trung Trinh, Director of the municipal Department of Education and Training, emphasised that the students will be proactive advocates to raiseawareness and willingness in society to protect the endangered animals.

The department also plans to kick off a drawing contest on protecting rhinos and reducing demand for rhino horns.-VNA