Alex Rose-Innes
With 70% of the largest rhino population in the world lost due to poaching in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in South Africa (SA), the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (FFE), Barbara Creecy, had arranged a platform with various wildlife conservation and animal welfare groups to discuss recommendations of a High-Level Panel regarding the future of these endangered animals.
According to the SA National Parks authority, SANParks, rhino populations in the KNP had decreased by about 70% in the past decade as a result of poaching and prolonged drought. In its 2019-20 annual report, SANParks said only about 3 549 white rhinos and 268 black rhinos were left in the KNP.
Many national and global conservationists wanted information on the SA government’s handling of the stockpile of confiscated rhino horns and those which had been amassed as a result of dehorning. The high levels of crime and corruption in the country had been cited as major reasons negatively impacting the security of these stockpiles. Also highlighted was the increasing cost of security staff and management of an ageing stockpile. Stockpiles are regarded as only of importance to international illegal trade syndicates which could still be accessed as a result of SA’s inability to control corrupt officials.
Stockpiles had been destroyed in 21 countries including Vietnam, known for its use of rhino horn as alternative “medicine.” This is considered an international obligation to protect the diminishing species. This does not put SA in a favourable light and examples of the country’s inability to regulate a legal trade were provided during the discussions.
In one year only, four major rhino horn seizures occurred with traders attempting to export rhino horn from SA. These large scale interceptions and the famous seizure in 2019 with apparent connections to a local rhino breeder were cited as urgent road blocks towards true preservation.
Minister Creecy was requested to consider measures such as permanent inter-provincial rotating road blocks in rhino rich areas as a method of discouraging poaching. These road blocks were very successful during the COVID-19 hard lockdown and could create job opportunities for the millions of jobless people in SA.
It was also said that international investment towards the true preservation of this species could be generated if SA could be motivated to change its pro-utilisation strategies. A report on the outcome and decisions taken by the FFE would be published in due course.
