South Africa, which is home to the most rhinos in the world, is contemplating legalizing the rhino-horn trade in order to control the numbers of rhinos killed and curb the poaching problem.

Bloomberg reported that the country has been able to slowly increase the rhino population after calling in for military help to guard the Kruger National Park. But a new method is necessary to ensure the continued growth while still allowing the trade of horns.

In 2007, about 13 rhinos had been poached, but by the end of last year an estimated 1,000 were killed, according to the Save the Rhino organization.

Regarding regulated international trade, the organization points out that the income that drives poaching needs to somehow be supplemented in order to curtail the illegal activity.

"We recognize that some rhino conservation field programs have very few options for income generation (unlike, for example, government wildlife departments that derive income from National Park fees)," the organization said on their website." On the supply side, we are concerned that occasional, one-off sales of elephant ivory have not reduced poaching for ivory. We would like to see more detail on how a trade in rhino horn will be regulated and how the proponents would ensure that income generated goes back into rhino conservation efforts."

Rhino horns are believed to have medicinal qualities in China and Vietnam, Bloomberg reported.

So far this year, 979 rhinos have been killed by poachers, which may exceed the record set, after a 50 percent increase was seen at the end of last year.

The Department of Environmental Affairs has set up a panel to give proposals on legalizing the rhino horn trade as early as next March.

While the South African government recognizes there is nothing that can be done about the value of the rhino horns in other cultures, they are attempting to at least control the number of rhinos used through legalization of the trade.

If the trade is established, the rules may dictate harvesting about one kilogram of horns per year. Prices for a kilogram of rhino horn range from $65,000 to $95,000 in Asia -- by comparison, gold trades for about $37,000.