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British celebrity admits to consuming Rhino horn powder


40-something supermodel Elle Macpherson has apparently been duped into thinking Rhino horn has medicinal benefits.


Is aging beauty Elle Macpherson ignorant, gullible, or just plain clueless?

In a recent Sunday Times interview by Mark Edmonds, the has-been supermodel outraged wildlife conservationists, activists, and concerned individuals when she casually mentioned that she takes powdered Rhino horn.

Apparently oblivious to the fact that four of the five Rhino species are teetering at the edge of extinction because of myths and superstitions about rhino horn, she noted that rhino horn tastes like "crushed bone and fungus" and it "does the job".

As scientific analysis has proven Rhino horn has no medicinal effect on humans, just what "job" does this woman think Rhino horn is "doing"?

'A lot of people say Chinese medicine is quackery'

Here is the infamous "exchange" between Edmonds and Macpherson:

Witter: You're said to be a great fan of Chinese medicine. What does powdered rhino horn taste like?

E MacP: A little bit like crushed bone and fungus in a capsule. Does the job though.

Witter: How do you know that it works? A lot of people say Chinese medicine is quackery.

E MacP: Put it this way, works for me.

Elle Macpherson is a beautiful woman - however, her beauty and her health have absolutely nothing to do with consuming rhino horn.

Another celebrity 'above the law'?

Selling or purchasing products that contain or claim to contain ingredients derived from endangered species is prohibited by CITES. It forbids import and export of rhino horn, tiger bone and their products, forbids selling, purchasing, transporting, carrying and mailing rhino horn, tiger bone and their products.

Perhaps, Elle Macpherson's next interview can be given from a cozy jail cell, which she can share with her rhino horn "capsule" supplier.

That would provide her with plenty of time to consider that myths about rhino horn as a "remedy" has resulted in the slaughter of tens of thousands of rhinos.

Or maybe she could do a year of community service helping rhino orphans at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

At the very least, Macpherson should be fined - or required to make a public apology and, how about a million-dollar contribution to a worthy Rhino conservation organization?

Goodness knows if she can afford it.

Sadly, this looks like yet another case where the law apparently does not apply to celebrities.


Comments for British celebrity admits to consuming Rhino horn powder

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Feb 06, 2011
Poachers given Elle - at last
by: KAREN VAN ROOYEN

Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson has repented and thrown her weight behind an international rhino and endangered species conservation campaign.

The blonde former supermodel was caught up in an international storm over the use of powdered rhino horn.

Speaking to the Sunday Times in a world exclusive from London this week, the 47-year-old executive producer and host of Britain's Next Top Model said she had been misrepresented when she was reported last year to have said that rhino horn tasted "a little bit like crushed bone and fungus in a capsule".

Days later, she put out a statement saying she had made a "flippant comment" and that she had never "knowingly consumed or encouraged consumption of any products derived from endangered species, including rhino horn".

Now, spurred on by the killing of 21 rhino in January, she has come out against rhino poaching.

"Now, more than ever, I realise there's no excuse to stand by whilst these critically endangered species continue to disappear," she said.

"This situation is particularly cruel given that much of it is based on little more than superstition regarding the aphrodisiac properties of rhino horn."

She reiterated that her comments had been taken out of context.

"I was furious because the inference was that I had consumed rhino horn and this was not true," she said.

"I was also worried because I do not want to condone the use of endangered species for remedies for health or beauty."

Macpherson said while she regretted doing the interview, she was pleased it had cast a spotlight on the plight of rhinos.

Last year, 333 rhinos were killed in South Africa for their horns. In one incident, a young rhino escaped death after being shot by poachers nine times in two separate incidents.

According to Dr Joseph Okori, the World Wildlife Fund's African Rhino Programme manager, there are about 25000 rhino in South Africa - down from 100000 in the 1960s.

Okori said the Macpherson incident was "regrettable", but added that someone of her "high profile" could have a "significant role to play".

"We welcome anyone who wants to support our efforts stopping the illegal trade of rhino horn," he said.

Feb 21, 2015
Trashy
by: Anonymous

She sells trashy bras and panties. This is just to bring more attention to herself. Her whole life has been flippant if you ask me! I hope she chokes on her own vomit from consuming rhino horn.

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