Rhino decision ‘victory for poachers’

Published May 25, 2016

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Tony Carnie

DURBAN: The Humane Society International, one of the world’s largest animal protection organisations, has voiced “grave disappointment” over the Supreme Court of Appeal decision that reopens the door for rhino horns to be smuggled out of South Africa to China, Vietnam and other Eastern nations.

Commenting on a ruling last week by Supreme Court Judge Eric Leach and acting Judge Nambitha Dambuza, the Humane Society said the decision to overturn the 2009 moratorium on rhino horn trading inside South Africa would only benefit those who sought to commodify wild animals.

“With only about 29 000 rhinos left in the world, 1 175 were poached in South Africa alone in 2015. Poaching rates are on the brink of overtaking the rhinos’ natural rate of reproduction; the tipping point towards extinction for these iconic animals,” said Dr Teresa Telecky, the society’s director of wildlife.

“Rhinos are wild animals who need to be protected so that they may grace our planet for years to come, not be treated as a commodity to be bought and sold out of existence.”

Telecky said the Supreme Court decision was “a gravely disappointing move” that could not have come at a worse time for the species.

“Amidst a rhino poaching crisis and increased international efforts to reduce demand for rhino horn, this ruling will do nothing whatsoever to protect rhinos, and only serves to benefit those parties with vested interests who seek to commodify rhino horn, and who stand to profit greatly as a result.”

While several local wildlife ranchers have been heartened by the ruling, many remain angry that the cabinet bowed out last month from a proposal to push for legalised international trade at the 17th conference of parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites COP17), to be held in Johannesburg in September.

Private ranchers now own more than 30% of the estimated 20 000 remaining white rhinos in South Africa. It is also understood that they also own a significant portion of Africa’s estimated 30-ton stockpile of rhino horns.

“The (international) trade ban, which has been in place since 1977, has been a failure by any measure,” Private Rhino Owners’ Association chairperson Pelham Jones said. “It has not saved the life of a single rhino.

“Government’s cowardly capitulation will have a detrimental effect on both private sector and rural conservation communities, and the ultimate price will be paid by the rhino itself.”

Norman Adami, a director of Wildlife Ranching SA, has described the decision not to push for international trading as “totally illogical”.

“The one solution that could possibly have saved the rhino has been rejected. The threat to the species’ existence has now been heightened…

“With poaching now spreading wider within the country, government’s decision is a victory for the poachers and illegal trade.”

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