A YEAR ago, Elle Macpherson publicly boycotted a posh London restaurant for serving endangered bluefin tuna, but now animal rights groups have instead turned on her.

The 47-year-old has been slammed for advocating the use of powdered rhino horn, a traditional Chinese medicine remedy which is banned worldwide by the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Bluefin tuna is widely considered to be as endangered as the white rhinoceros, but in an interview with The Times Online via Twitter, Australian-born Macpherson seemed unconcerned.

Asked why she takes powdered rhino horn, the supermodel famously dubbed "The Body" replied: "Put it this way, [it] works for me".

The host of Britain's Next Top Model, then went on to say that the rhino horn tasted "a little bit like crushed bone and fungus in a capsule…" but it "does the job though".

Nicola Beynon, the Humane Society International's senior program manager, said trade of all rhino species and their products had been prohibited since 1977.

She said she was appalled by Macpherson's comments.

"The Humane Society International condemns the poaching of rhinos, particularly for their use in beauty products and Ms Macpherson's actions are reprehensible," Beynon said.

The World Wildlife Fund says rhino poaching worldwide hit a 15-year high in 2009, driven by the demand for rhino horn products.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has been so shocked by the supermodel’s comments that it has prepared an information package to send to Ms Macpherson to educate her on the plight of the rhino and the use of alternative traditional medicines.

"There is no excuse for using any endangered animal products," Erica Martin, the organisation’s Asia-Pacific director, said.

"First and foremost, selling rhino products is illegal and in breach of CITES and secondly four out of five species of rhino are literally on the brink of extinction.

"Elle has been a successful businesswoman with a high public profile for decades and people do listen to what she says.

"Elle needs to take responsibility for her comments and encourage people to look to sustainable alternative medicines."

Martin said foxglove root had been widely promoted as an effective and sustainable herbal alternative to rhino horn.

Rhino horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.

Selling for up to $60,000 a kilo, rhino horn has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to cure a variety of ailments including fevers, pain, arthritis and a host of other serious diseases.

Environmental science website Monabay said the critical endangerment of the rhino is underpinned by the exorbitant cost of rhino products.

"Powdered rhino horn, such as Elle MacPherson uses, is not cheap: last year one kilo was worth approximately $60,000, nearly $20,000 more than a kilo of gold."

Macpherson is currently in Britain for her hosting role on Britain's Next Top Model.

News.com.au is seeking comment from the former supermodel.

Interview As per Times Online:

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.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/enterta...r-1225888611525