Emotional Hughes encourages Rhino warriors

AFTER a very detailed and long session dealing with rhino issues at the Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice held at the Fernhill Hotel, Howick last week, an emotional former Director of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Dr George Hughes thanked those fighting the war for their commitment and dedication to the cause.

The session chaired by Ezemvelo Wildlife’s Anti Rhino Poaching Coordinator, Cedric Coetzee was opened by keynote speaker, Prof Michael Harris from the Friends of Animals and the University of Denver who spoke on the topic ‘License to Kill: The impact of US canned hunting on the illegal trade of endangered exotic wildlife’.

The rest of the session was made up with papers including an update on the trends in rhino numbers and poaching by Richard Emslie (IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group), an update on the poaching in South Africa and success of enforcement efforts, with a focus on KZN by Tony Conway (Ezemvelo), the current status of rhino conservation on private land by Simon Naylor (Phinda Private Game Reserve) and a paper read by Ezemvelo’s Lawrence Monroe on behalf of Ken Maggs (SAN Parks) detailing the different management options being implemented and explored by SANparks.

It is clear that all the initiatives are aimed at winning the war and there is no single approach which will win the battle.

From Cybertracking to a former General leading the battle in Kruger the message is clear.

The rhino battle will not be lost without a fight.

While rangers on the ground can do much with the technical skills and finances being made available, it will all come to nothing if governments do not support the effort, both internationally and nationally.

Rangers still feel they are being let down by the judiciary, who do not always understand the seriousness of poaching generally and of rhino poaching specifically .

One case of poachers caught in 2008 with horn, rifles, vehicles and possibly everything else needed to get a conviction has still yet to go to court.

It is this scenario that led Dr Hughes to feel for the rangers.

He said they are doing their utmost against all odds, with criticism levelled at them through the media and others commentators, locally and from overseas, who do not understand the situation, but are happy to climb on the bandwagon and throw stones.

He said rangers do not need criticism and negativity, they need support.