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"Bloody assault against SA rhinos" was the title of an
article published by The Pretoria News on January 10, 2009;
and the author stated that "at least 76 white and black rhinos
were killed by poachers in South Africa's reserves, national
parks and on private land last year, illustrating the sudden
bloody assault on the country's rhino populations for their
valuable horns - but the figure may be much higher."
The figure of 76 casualties came from a report released by
Sonja Meintjes, deputy director of biodiversity compliance at the
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). In
2007 the total loss – high enough in any case – stood at only 10
poached rhino. "The department cannot comment on the
dramatic increase at the moment until investigations that are
currently under way by the provincial conservation authorities
and SANParks have been concluded."The various conservation
authorities affected are working with the police to investigate
these incidents and hope to make a breakthrough soon,"
Meintjes added.
The article mentioned that unconfirmed reports suggest
the number of rhinos killed in the past year is hovering around
100. Whether the figure is now 76 or a 100 – the situation has
clearly gone out of hand! Dr Jacques Flamand, the project
leader of the WWF/Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Black Rhino Range
Expansion Project, said" there's definitely an onslaught on the
rhino that has come up suddenly. I suspect the more affluent
Chinese want it (rhino horn) in greater numbers. Those carrying
out the attacks are locals most likely working for Chinese and
Vietnamese agents."
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
has imposed a moratorium, which came into effect in the
meantime, is meant to discourage the poaching of rhino in SA
and stem the trade in individual rhino horn to ensure provincial
authorities and SANParks maintain consistent protocols for
dealing with the trade in rhino horn.
The moratorium is a step into the right direction, but if
falls short of the far more stringent measures proposed by the
Professional Hunting Association of South Africa during the
annual PHASA convention in the Eastern Cape in November of
2008. PHASA proposed inter alia that:
- each hunting client who wishes to hunt a rhino produces a
sworn affidavit that no part of the rhino be used for any
commercial purposes,
- a PHASA member appointed by DEAT confirms in writing
that proper procedures were followed during the hunt and
all legal requirements were met
- the outfitter/professional hunter supply PHASA with a
photograph of the hunted rhino together with the hunter
- no trophy or other parts of the rhino be exported without
certification of PHASA
- that all control of rhino hunting be national and not
provincial
Source: African Indaba – an electronic newsletter as a public service for hunter-conservationists
and all people who are interested in the conservation, management and the sustainable
use of Africa’s wild natural resources. African Indaba is published six times
a year and distributed free-of-charge via e-messaging service. You can subscribe
to the full newsletter by sending an email with your full address to gerhard@muskwa.co.za.
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