One step closer to legal trade in rhino horn?

File photo

A recent international television documentary on rhino poaching raised the ongoing, controversial debate of legalising the trade in rhino horn in order to reduce poaching. While most of us are aware of the desire by some conservationists to flood the market with SA's current stockpiles of rhino horn, which have been acquired from rhinos who have died of natural causes, it appears that a number of wildlife enthusiasts, including a prominent "rhino farming tycoon", are in favour of including the horns of living rhinos in SA's rhino horn stockpiles, to be traded when/if the trade in rhino horn is legalised. 

The recent de-horning of living rhinos proved futile, however, in its attempt to prevent poaching because, when interviewed, poachers admitted to killing de-horned rhinos simply because they didn't want to risk wasting their time tracking a rhino without a horn. That said, those in support of lifting the ban on rhino horn trade hope that flooding the market with existing stockpiles of rhino horn will cease poaching, thereby not exposing de-horned rhinos to poachers in the future.

South Africa's Department of Environmental Affairs recently confirmed its position on this debate by announcing Cabinet's approval of the development and submission of a proposal to the 17th conference of parties (CoP) to CITES, scheduled to take place in 2016. The 16th CoP to CITES, held in March 2013, saw discussions relating to a possible trade in rhino horn initiated. A recent Department of Environmental Affairs press release quoted Minister Edna Molewa as having said: "We will have to work in partnership with stakeholders and experts to ensure a feasible model for trade is proposed at the next CoP in South Africa, with due consideration of all the views expressed by interested and affected stakeholders in rhino conservation. Our appeal is that this should not be viewed in isolation from all our endeavours to save our rhinos. South Africa cannot continue to be held hostage by the syndicates slaughtering our rhinos. We do have the ability to make this scarce resource available without impacting on the species, through the implementation of a regulated trade system."

This idea raises some serious questions. Apart from questioning a de-horned rhino's ability to defend itself, is selling off part of each animal the only way we'll be able to keep this magnificent beast among us in the years to come? With the rhino population in SA plummeting, and projected 2013 poaching statistics sitting at around 900, the future of the rhino as we currently know it looks bleak to say the least.

St Lucia News aims to keep its readers updated on this controversial debate, however, in the meantime, we would like to remind visitors and tour guides alike to keep the 'crime hotline' contact numbers handy, and report ANY suspicious activity so it can be investigated by the team of professionals. Those numbers are: 32211 (SMS) and 08600 10111 (telephone). SMS' charged at R1. Crimeline's website: https://www.crimeline.co.za .