World rhino day celebrated

This year alone, more than 635 rhinos have been reported as poached in South Africa, with the real numbers possibly even higher.

There have, however, been some inroads into addressing the crisis and on World Rhino Day, September 22, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) based in Modderfontein looked back at some of the successes.

“The EWT believes there is no single solution to addressing the illegal wildlife trade, which is an increasing global phenomenon. Wildlife trade is estimated to be the third largest illegal industry in the world after drugs and human trafficking. Wildlife trade often has its roots firmly established in organised and trans-boundary crimes. For this reason, the EWT’s Rhino Project is implementing interventions at several stages in the poaching and wildlife trade chain,” said Ms Kirsty Brebner, EWT’s Rhino Project Manager.

Interventions implemented to date include:

• Improving the detection of wildlife contraband through the deployment of wildlife detection dogs. Thus far, the EWT has deployed four sniffer dogs at airports with plans to secure dogs in additional airports throughout South Africa.
• Improving the detection of wildlife contraband through capacity building and training with more than 100 border officials from OR Tambo International Airport having already completed training in Wildlife Trade and Environmental Legislation.
• Supporting and facilitating the reporting of information to the authorities.
• Supporting anti-poaching efforts in Zimbabwe by training anti-poaching dogs. Two dogs have undergone tracking training and started their trail in Zimbabwe last week.
• Deploying a rhino horn, arms and ammunition detection dog in Limpopo. The Belgian Malinois, Shaya, who has been deployed to Limpopo has been invaluable, particularly at finding evidence in the form of spent cartridges at crime scenes.
• Supporting selected provincial government organisations through the provision of equipment and resources. Fuel provided to Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency has enabled the Species Protection Unit to monitor their rhinos. Microchip scanners have proven invaluable in assisting at crime scenes and for enforcement.
• Supporting selected private reserves by deploying a further sniffer dog in the Waterberg area.
• Implementing the Rhino Orphan Response Project, which focuses on improving rescue and rehabilitation through emergency response and training. More than fifty people have been trained in effective rescue response and there have been more than 180 responses to date.
• Reducing the involvement of lodge and reserve staff directly or indirectly with poaching through the development of a community-based awareness project.
• Providing awareness, raising and support to the judiciary involved in rhino poaching cases.
• Influencing the legal framework to contribute to enforcement.

“Through the combined efforts of the Department of Environmental Affairs, the South African National Parks (SANParks), the Hawks, several leading NGOs, corporates and individuals, we have seen 194 arrests in relation to rhino poaching and horn smuggling in South Africa this year.

“Our sniffer dogs, Rico, Heddie, Renaldo and Condor have successfully located wildlife contraband at the country’s points of exit. Relationships have been established with key players in Vietnam and we are running awareness campaigns through reputable partnerships in that country,” said Ms Brebner.

As part of the 2013 celebrations for World Rhino Day, the EWT partnered with the Waterkloof Air Force Base.

On September 19, members of the air force participated in a competition where paper mache rhinos, decorated by individual divisions at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, were judged for their creativity, name and slogan.

The top 10 rhinos will be auctioned on October 25, with all proceeds going to the EWT Rhino Project.