Fake horn aims to ruin illegal market

Scientists hope rhino alternative will disrupt trade in poached items

Chinese research scientists have teamed up with zoologists at Oxford University to create a technique for making fake rhino horn, which they hope will disrupt the market for illegal poached items.

A team at Fudan University in Shanghai helped create an alternative made from horse hair, and it is hoped that flooding the market with this will confuse the trade in rhino horn, which is driving the endangered African animal to the verge of extinction.