Rhino and tiger bone demand

Question 1

What are the motivations driving the demand?

Answer 1

Utilitarian motivations
- Task-oriented and rational purposes

Hedonic motivations
- Symbolic values, emotional appeal and personal gratification

Willingness to buy if
- remaining rhinos are critically endangered
- trade is illegal under Vietnamese law
- Organized by criminal networks
- Helps finance international terrorism

Utilitarian values (most prevalent)
- Physical, health-related benefits and use in traditional medicine
- Especially the use of powder to reduce hangovers
- treatment of life-threatening diseases

Hedonic values
- symbolic comfort for the terminally ill
- appearing rich through conspicuous consumption and self-promotion
- establishing and maintaining social bonds and a culture of interdependence
- obtaining favors from officials - bribery

Appealiing to the consumer’s conscience had no effect.

Question 2

What are the motivations driving the demand?
2

Answer 2

Perceived behavioral control and habit were the sole determinants of the intention to buy rhino horn

Respondents with higher income and better knowledge about how to buy and use rhino horn and those with previous experience using rhino horn were more likely to intend to buy this good

Frequent users had a lower intention to buy rhino horn in the near future than those having used rhino horn once or a few times

Campaigns should be directed at relatively younger individuals in this group who ay have less traditional mindset and may be more responsive to campaign messages

Question 3

Do demand reduction campaigns work?

Answer 3

Relatively high campaign exposure, but influence was low:
- consumers considered demand reduction campaigns and the reference groups unreliable and driven by profit

The decision to buy rhino horn was almost exclusively influenced by peers with perceived expertise
- commonly used deliverers - doctors, government officials, business leaders and celebrities had very little influence

Willingness to sign a pledge to refrain from buying, using or gifting rhino horn was relatively high
- However, respondents also stated they would not comply with this pledge

Question 4

Campaigns build on misinformation

Answer 4

Building on misinformation and deceit may make campaigns backfire, as consumers will lose any trust they may have had in future campaigns and the implementing organizations

Question 5

Can a legalized trade protect wild populations

Answer 5

Choice experiments:
- evaluating preferences for wild vs domesticated
- Legality of product
Peers opposing the use of rhino horn
- Proportion of tiger bone in the glue
- Price

Four conditions for a successful legal trade
- Laundering and illegal supply can be prevented
- Legal suppliers can supply the product more efficiently, reliably and cost-effectively
- Demand does not escalate to dangerous levels when the stigma of the product’s illegality is removed
- Legally produced products from farmed animals can substitute wild poached animals

Question 6

Can a legalized trade protect wild populations
- Response

Answer 6

Preferred wild over farmed animals

Also preferred legal over illegal horns

The richest were willing to pay more for wild and were indifferent about legality

Consumers were price sensitive for rhino powder but not tiger bone glue

The observed preferences indicate that a legal trade will not eliminate poaching, and there will likely continue to be a parallel black market

Question 7

Conclusion

Answer 7

Motivations for demand include both utilitarian and hedonic aspects and are changing over time

Demand reduction campaigns must be based on formative research, include a theory of change and should enable impact evaluation through a randomized control trial

Messages must be culturally appropriate, and evidence based and those delivering the messages must be trusted

A legal trade on its own is unlikely to end poaching of wild animals due to preferences in the wealthier consumer segment