Improvement in rhino poaching figures

Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa announced at a briefing in Cape Town that since 2007 rhino poaching in South Africa has decreased.

Molewa revealed that 1 175 rhinos were killed last year which went down slightly from 1 215 rhino’s that were killed the previous year.

CEO of the World Wide Fund Dr Morné du Plessis said that after seven years of increases, a decline in the rate of rhino poaching in South Africa is very encouraging.” It is the result of the government’s leadership and the tireless efforts by so many committed people but sadly, the overall rate remains unacceptably high,” said Du Plessis.

The poaching figures were released a day after the South African High Court dismissed the government’s application to appeal an earlier ruling lifting a moratorium on the domestic sale of rhino horns.

This means it is now possible for individuals to buy and sell rhino horn in South Africa although the international trade in rhino horn remains banned under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species.

Rhino programme manager for World Wide Fund in South Africa, Dr Jo Shaw said that the High Court’s ruling is a serious blow.

“There is no market for rhino horn in South Africa so lifting the domestic moratorium can only encourage illegal activity – especially as it is likely to be misconstrued as a lifting of the current international trade ban,” said Shaw.

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