WHITE RIVER – Conservationists say 2015 is the “do or die” year for rhino, as population growth will decline if the trend of poaching, as seen over the past seven years, continues.
These are clear indicators that should not be ignored, says Mr David Newton, director of Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce (TRAFFIC) for East and Southern Africa:
“The lack of strong political will and active leadership from all arms of the government, neighbouring Mozambique and key Asian countries remain a serious impediment to turning this crisis around.”
Youth for African Wildlife’s chief executive, conservationist and businessman, Mr Dex Kotze, also believes the lack of political will is another nail in the anti-poaching coffin.
“After a seven year, year-on-year increase, the government is still unwilling to amend legislation to convict poachers on a level 5 offence, that will ensure a minimum of 15 years in prison with no option of bail.”
Population growth will soon decrease and rhino will be extinct in another 15 years, warned Kotze.
“A decline will be the first in nearly 100 years. The deployment of more rangers as well as the availability of more up-to-date equipment seem to be of little help.”
Kruger National Park (KNP), which boasts the majority of the country’s rhino, remains the poaching epicentre with 827 killed for their horns in 2014. It is nearly two thirds of the total number killed. Currently, South Africa is home to approximately 20 000 rhino – more than 80 per cent of the global population.
Rhino programme manager for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Dr Jo Shaw, reiterated that:
“Rhino poaching and rhino-horn trafficking are not simply environmental issues. They represent threats to the very fabric of our society.”
TRAFFIC, WWF and Youth for African Wildlife all confirmed that bold statements had been made by various international experts and members of foreign governments who pledged resources and action at the London summit of the Intergovernmental Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade, in February last year, although South Africa was conspicuous by its absence. A follow-up meeting will take place in Kasane, Botswana in March this year and all three organisations hope and trust that the South African government “will attend this time around and stop embarrassing all of us”.
A former game ranger who worked on a private game reserve in the Limpopo Transfrontier Park for years, told Lowvelder he had little hope of the anti-poaching efforts of the government paying off.
“I try to convince these poachers to stop their activities in an attempt to aid anti-poaching, so I know exactly what is going on in towns like Massingir. It’s crawling with Chinese and the wealth is in their hands. Massingir is actually a city built from rhino horn. For every poacher who is killed or captured, there are at least five waiting in the wings to take his place.”
He also mentioned that if he ever had a chance, he would tell the government to approach poaching with zero tolerance. He heard on a few occasions how poachers would laugh and joke when they returned to Massingir after a successful poaching trip. “They were calling the rangers in Kruger suckers who think they can shoot or capture them. They said they were way too strong for them.”
“This year is going to be a difficult one for all involved in anti-poaching efforts, as well as our leadership. The time to act is now. If it gets any worse, the species could decline rapidly toward extinction,” Kotze added.
“The black-market price for rhino horn is an estimated $100 000 per kilogram. (About R1 million per kilogram.) At the cost of seven years of poached rhino, with almost 4 000 horns since 2008, multiplied by the average weight of three kilogram per horn, it brings one to 12 000 kilogram. A cost of R1 million per kilogram, brings you to R12 billion. Devastating!”
