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No, Marais isn't a poacher — quite the opposite.

But the alternative for someone like Marais, founder of the nonprofit Saving the Survivors, which is dedicated to treating wounded wildlife species, is worse.

Faced with that choice, Marais said in a phone interview, “You have to decide which one of the necessary evils you go for. Most vets will tell you that we hate to dehorn these animals, but because of the current situation, it’s one of the tools that we have to use.”

“This tells you that after you have dehorned an animal, they know they haven’t got a horn anymore,” Marais said.

In general, Marais said, it’s healthier for rhinos if they're allowed to roam naturally rather than displacing them.