1 600 rhinos under threat as breeder feels the pinch

South Africa’s largest rhino breeder, John Hume, may be in danger of financial collapse, which could place his more than 1 600 rhinos at grave risk.

“A combination of factors have made it impossible for me to continue with my rhino breeding project,” Hume wrote in an appeal for assistance.

“Because of difficulties with permits, I have received very little money from the sale of rhino horns. Likewise, with permits to export rhinos to other countries, I’ve been stymied by our government and the bureaucracy of the Cites system.”

Hume said horn had been proving difficult to sell and, coupled with the poaching threat, had rendered the sale of live rhinos in South Africa almost impossible.

“And even if you could, it would be at a price of about half of what it cost you to breed and protect them,” said Hume.

Unlike national parks where rhinos are essentially public stock, private rhino owners receive little to no help from government in securing their animals against poaching and must fork out protection money from their own pockets.

“What I believe would give the 1 600-plus rhinos in my project the best chance of survival is to find a wealthy partner to purchase up to 50% of the project, and then for this partner to help me secure cooperation from our government to sell rhinos and rhino horn in order to ensure sustainable funding to keep the project alive,” Hume said.

Should he not be able to find a partner, Hume said he would have to sell off the project in pieces of between 500 and 1 000 hectares, all having between 100 and 200 rhinos per rhino farm.

“The problem with this is that most of the buyers would not be able to breed or protect as effectively as I have done with the project as a whole over the past decade.”

Kim da Ribeira of Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching said the news was worrying.

“Hume bargained on trading in rhino horn and it hasn’t worked out for him,” Da Ribeira said.

“The problem is, what does one do with 1 600 rhinos? If he can’t afford to look after them and protect them, then it’s a big issue, where do you put them?”

Rhino farming requires specialised knowledge, high levels of security, specialised conditions and veterinary attention.

– amandaw@citizen.co.za

ALSO READ: Rhino horn auction pits private owners against government

For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.