Dr Krappies Els: SAHGCA Manager for Conservation
A pro-active approach:
The South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) is of the opinion that the only manner in which to realistically save our rhinos, is to open the national and international trade in the animals and in their product (their horn). Placing a high value on the living animal and its product is also the only way to curtail the destructive and highly unnecessary poaching (read death) of these animals.
Some Facts
Of all white and black rhino in the world, >92% are today found in this country. Of the 15,000 rhino in the world in 2005, the South African government (national and provincial) owned 69.7%, 22.1% were owned by South African game ranchers, 6.8% were owned by other African countries, and 1.4% were owned by zoos all over the world.
The market for rhino and their product:
The important role of rhino on auctions is confirmed by the fact that between 1986 and 2009, only 0.94% of all animals sold at game auctions were rhino, while their sales represented 28% of the total turnover at all auctions.
The rhino market is largely driven by the sale of surplus animals at auction where the price was determined by trophy hunters up to 2009. Surplus adult male animals are mostly hunted while surplus sub-adult animals are mostly exported to overseas zoos and game parks. The average price for rhino remained constant between 1990 and 1996 but increased between 1997 and 2002. Between 2003 and 2005 the price dropped because of the saturation of the trophy hunting market. However, between 2006 and 2009 prices again climbed because of the large number of especially Vietnamese hunters entering the market for so-called medicinal hunts (for the horn alone).
The principle and largest market for rhino product remains in Asia – the market that drives poaching. The Asian value judgement attached to the medicinal value of natural products has been developed over more than 5,000 years and is an integral part of millions of people’s everyday life. In Seoul alone, there are 11 colleges, 20 hospitals, 4,700 clinics, 7,000 medical practitioners, and 2,352 chemists solely focussed on the practice of Asian medicine (medicinal products include tiger bone, lion bone, rhino horn, etc.).
It is, therefore, SAHGCA’s contention that it will be easier to effect change among Western nature lovers and scientists to keep rhinos alive through efforts of sustainable use, rather than to try and change a 5,000 year old cultural trait among millions of people in Asia (i.e. China, Korea, Vietnam).
Poaching:
Consecutive moratoriums on the internal trade in rhino (2006), the implementation of the TOPS permitting system (2008), and the ban on hunting of rhino in South Africa (2009), has unfortunately had a direct impact on the increase in poaching of these animals. Different sets of regulations has made the legal hunting of rhino more and more difficult until it was stopped in 2009.
There is a direct correlation between the imposition of Regulations and the increase in numbers of animals poached. In the 24 years between 1980 and 2004, 148 rhino were poached at an average of 6 animals per annum. In the 5 years between 2006 and 2010, 566 animals were poached at an average of 94 animals per annum (a massive increase directly linked to the above mentioned moratoriums). Of the 566 animals poached in this period, 333 were poached in 2010 alone (149 in Kruger, 57 in North-West, 52 in Limpopo and 38 in KwaZulu-Natal). At the time of writing this article (March 2011), the figure already stands on 51 animals killed through poaching activities for this year.
Despite the adaptation of seeming better regulations after 2005, better policing did not follow as the Threatened Specie Unit of the SAPS were disbanded. Specialised knowledge and co-ordination in provincial governments where conservation law enforcement takes place, also became fragmented because of a lack of applicable capacity.
Because poaching of rhino had a low incidence for so long (1980 to 2004) there are only anti-poaching units in national parks and on provincial level with no private security companies, for instance, specialising in poaching of high value game animals (i.e. rhino).
Action:
Against this background it is SAHGCA’s contention that the only realistic manner to truly and effectively implement conservation of our rhinos, is to responsibly trade the animals and their product.
SAHGCA’s focus is in conjunction with the Wildlife Industry Trust focussed on assisting the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at Onderstepoort to log the DNA profiles of all rhino in this country. Be that of the animals owned by government or by the private sector.
Before we can trade in the products of these animals, we must be able to show that we can manage their numbers and their product with accountability. Managing the animals’ numbers has been proven over time. Its the management of their product which present us with the biggest challenge. That’s why we must be able to positively identify each animal and its horn with the animal’s DNA profile.
By implementing the DNA database to function as envisaged, data will have to be populated and maintained. The advantage is that game ranchers will then also have a database for sourcing the best genetic breeding “partners” for cows in smaller herds on ranches (to prevent inbreeding).
In addition, the logging of DNA profiles will largely assist in effecting guilty verdicts for rhino poachers as the product they have poached will be immediately traceable to the exact animal. A high profile poacher has already been convicted through DNA evidence brought before court in this manner.
Rhino are of much higher value when they are alive and thriving, as opposed to when they are dead. That is why only responsible utilisation of rhino products presents any real conservation benefit and incentive, and why the association has entered the fight to rather keep our: Rhinos Alive !”
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