Rivals unite to fight for rhino’s survival

MBOMBELA – Those opposed to the trading of rhino horn, had to register before they would be allowed to make any presentation to a committee of inquiry that was investigating the feasibility of its trade. The deadline was on March 13 and the first stakeholder meeting to be hosted by the committee would take place at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg on March 25 and 26.

Various anti-trade lobbyists registered, including Outraged South African Citizens Against Rhino Poaching (Oscap), Youth for African Wildlife, Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, veteran conservationist and wildlife tourism expert, Mr Colin Bell and an ecotourism operator writer and former stockbroker, Mr Ian Michler, were to present information for consideration by the committee.

During a recent debate in Cape Town on the topic of anti-trade versus pro-trade, Bell and Michler, as anti-traders, squared up against pro-traders, Mr Braam Malherbe, a rhino activist, and economist, Mr Dawie Roodt.

During the debate they all agreed that it was unrealistic to expect any changes to the legislation for trade in rhino products, at least within the next decade, at which point, based on current poaching statistics, rhino in the wild would likely be extinct.

With this consensus reached, the four lobbyists agreed to produce a strategy to work together and were in accord that it would be necessary to create a multipronged approach that allowed for different areas to be addressed and acted upon concurrently. Roodt and Bell agreed on one thing: “As long as we are fighting each other, we are aiding and abetting the poachers”.

These four decided to set aside their specific agendas of their respective camps and to focus on working together as a united front to come up with a multifaceted plan to conserve rhino in the wild.

They also acknowledged that about one in seven South Africans were dependent on a thriving tourism industry. Malherbe added that, “If rhino become extinct, the country’s tourism industry will suffer and by default, so will the country’s economy and its people.”

Michler felt that finding a viable way forward was necessary, “We need to work together for the preservation of the country’s biodiversity as well as its financial well-being.”

They also agreed to the establishment of a whistle-blowers’ fund and to increase anti-poaching law enforcement.

Roodt had spent some time with the Botswanan Government, which was the world’s largest diamond producer, and reported that a specialist law-enforcement unit was being trained to tackle poaching. Environment, wildlife and tourism minister Mr Tshekedi Khama, had set aside
48 million pula (US$5 million) for the Rhino Squad. Most of the money would be used for equipment, including helicopters.

The minister added that, “The harder we hit back, the less motivation they have. It’s about hitting back harder than what they hurt us with.”

Botswana would also host an African Elephant Summit on March 23 in the northern town of Kasane, before the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference starts there two days later.

In 2013 the minister of environmental affairs, Ms Edna Molewa, said the country would back “the establishment of a well-regulated international trade” in rhino horn and seek permission from Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in 2016 for a once-off sale of stockpiles worth around US$1 billion.” International trade in rhino horn had been banned since 1976.

Many international opponents to trade, like Ms Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency, Ms Suzy Watts of the Humane Society International and

Mr Will Travers of the Born Free Foundation, felt that not enough was known about the market to prove that flooding it would have a positive effect.

“It’s just assumptions! The real market size and characteristics are still unknown factors. Think about it, there is no incentive for Asian traders to keep the price low at the user end. South Africa will only be able to control the price at which it sells the horn,” said Travers.

Meanwhile Watts warned, “Poaching may always be cheaper than farming.”

In South Africa, calculations presented by Mr Dex Kotze of the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos showed: “If only one per cent of the population of all consumer countries used the generally prescribed dosages, 15 tons would be required per annum. This increases to 327 tons for use by five per cent of the population. Even in well-regulated markets, laundering occurs and pro-traders are naive to think rhino-horn trade will be any different.”

Organised crime syndicates would not necessarily passively stand by and accept a lower price. Illegally obtained horn could find its way into the legal market and smugglers could try to sell more to make up for their losses. In addition, there was a risk that syndicates could create new, niche markets for horn products.

A real fear among conservationists related to the fact that Chinese consumers currently paid considerably more for “wild” bear bile and tiger bone compared to the “farmed” alternative.

Legalising trade could remove the stigma attached to consumption and open up the market, rather than reduce it, trade challengers suggested.

Perhaps one of the best-known pro-traders, private rhino owner Mr John Hume, had stated on several occasions that “rhino farms” could create jobs and alleviate poverty. “With a legal trade, rhino farming will create more habitats for rhino, as well as other threatened species.” He also stated that emergent black farmers and rural communities could be assisted and taught to farm rhino, leading to community-based wildlife management.

It is general knowledge that the trade ban on ivory had not stopped the large scale poaching of elephant. Two stockpile sales of ivory in 2008 and 2009 actually increased the demand and fuelled elephant poaching.

Pro-traders often touted that the sustained farming of the Vicuna of South America was an example of how sustainable farming had saved a species from extinction. Furthermore, they argued, the current rhino trade ban had also not done much to stop poaching.

An analysis of the rhino horn market suggested to pro-traders that it shared similar demand characteristics to alcohol and illegal drugs. Bans on such products were unenforceable – they simply resulted in much higher prices and ensured that all trade was handled by crime syndicates.

Before the end of March there will be a much clearer picture of which route the South Africans will embark upon to protect and save the rhino from extinction, but people close to this debate say whichever way they choose, it will require strong political will to make it work.