It's no secret that the demand for rhino horn is responsible for the current poaching crisis, but where does the demand come from? Sadly, a few misguided myths about rhino horn are responsible for the systematic destruction of this majestic creature, and it's about time they go away for good. [caption id="attachment_35565" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Rhino horn has no proven medicinal value.[/caption]   Rhino Horn Is Medicine Perhaps the most pervasive, destructive myth about rhino horn is that it has medicinal qualities. Rhino horn is made of keratin, which is the same material as our fingernails. Despite having no proven medicinal value, rhino horn concoctions have been prescribed in traditional Asian medicine for about 2,000 years, but until the late 1800s, the effect on the species was manageable. By the early 1900s, however, extensive trophy hunting had been added to the mix, decimating rhino populations. Furthermore, in 2008, the perfect storm to annihilate rhinos was unleashed. According to an article in The Atlantic magazine, a rumor swept across Vietnam that imbibing crushed rhino horn cured a politician’s cancer. [caption id="attachment_35566" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Rhino horns belong to rhinos![/caption]   Rhino Horn is an Aphrodisiac Not too dissimilar from the belief in the curative abilities of rhino horn, some cultures believe that rhino horn can serve as an aphrodisiac. Multiple scientific studies have proven that this belief couldn't be further from the truth. [caption id="attachment_35567" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Together we can kill the myths that are responsible for the decline of rhinos.[/caption]   Rhino Horn is a Party Drug Some insist that the demand for rhino horn has an even more nefarious purpose: ground into a powder, the horn is considered a party drug in Asia, much like cocaine, except without the pharmaceutical effects (imagine grinding your fingernails into a powder). Some mix the powder with alcohol (one Vietnamese news site called the luxury potion “the drink of millionaires”), others even snort the powder like snuff. [caption id="attachment_112411" align="alignnone" width="1500"] 41-year-old Nola, who lives at the Safari Park, is 1 of 5 remaining northern white rhinos on the planet.[/caption]   Rhino Horn Makes Nice Trinkets Another cause for the senseless slaughter of rhinos is the desire to fashion horns into all kinds of trinkets, from cups and dagger handles to figurines. Despite the ready availability of better alternatives, many cultures continue to exalt rhino horn trinkets as symbols of class. Please help us debunk these myths once and for all and stop the senseless slaughter of rhinos. Write "Stop Killing Rhinos" on your hand and post a photo on Instagram or Twitter with the #rally4rhinos hashtag. See your photo in the gallery, and visit rally4rhinos.org for more info about the plight of rhinos and ways you can help. Thanks for joining the fight!   Matt Steele is senior social media planner for San Diego Zoo Global. Read his previous post, 11 Bellies You Really Need to Rub.