Solution to rhino poaching problem rests with Africans

The key to the survival of the African black and white rhinoceroses must come from Africans, and not from international bodies that are trying to impose their imperialistic and often paternalistic solution on us, says the South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA).

The Association is one of numerous South African-based conservation NGOs that promotes a well-managed, international trade in rhino horn as the only sustainable solution to curb rhino poaching. With the IUCN World Conservation Congress that is being held in South Korea until 15 September and World Rhino Day coming up on 22 September, the plight of the rhino remains high on the agenda in conservation circles.

SAHGCA and the rest of the conservation community in South Africa are waiting in anticipation to hear what the Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) decision is on legalising the trade in rhino horn. The DEA has until 4 October to make its submission to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to consider lifting its trade ban on rhino horn. The matter is expected to be discussed at the 2013 Conference of the Parties held by CITES in Bangkok in March 2013.

Dr Herman Els, manager of conservation at SAHGCA, says that as long as armchair-conservationists promote continuing bans on national and international rhino horn trade, and wildlife conservation agencies complicate any consideration of possible trading methods, poachers will continue to decimate our rhino populations to meet the Asian demand for rhino horn.

“Thanks to the DEA’s appointment of veteran conservationist Mr Mavuso Msimang earlier this year, the long-awaited rhino dialogue series was concluded in August where all concerned parties discussed conservation, trade and security matters regarding rhinos. The understanding was that the outcome of the rhino dialogues would inform government’s submission to CITES.

“If the Department of Environmental Affairs does not use this opportunity to urge CITES to consider lifting the international - or at least the national - trade ban on rhino horn at its 2013 meeting, we will still be discussing and wringing our hands in despair on next year’s World Rhino Day,” Els says.

SAHGCA maintains that trade bans do nothing to save the rhino. In 1970, there were an estimated 65 000 black rhino in the world. Today there are about 5 000 left. “If trade bans worked we would not be spending vast sums of money in man hours and other resources to debate the pros and cons of legalising the trade in rhino horn.”

Els said attempts by national and international non-government organisations (NGO) and conservation agencies to change the behaviour patterns of poverty-stricken populations in countries where unemployment is rife, is the wrong approach and will never work. The trade in animals and animal products - whether it is legal or not -  is a means of survival in many African countries where there are still animals left in the wild, such as elephants, rhino and lions whose ivory, horn and other body parts are in huge demand from Asian countries.

“In South Africa with its unemployment rate of 25%, conservation efforts based on European and American standards are a luxury Africa cannot afford. Taxpayers’ money that should be spent on addressing socio-economic challenges is being used on a variety of rhino security measures with little effect. “

Els reiterates that, in Africa, conservation only works when communities are incentivised to help protect wildlife through shared benefit programmes. A good example where this approach works well is the CAMPFIRE programme in Zimbabwe, which promotes local control over wildlife management. CAMPFIRE has also been hailed as ‘…an antidote to the colonial legacy of technocratic and authoritarian development, which had undermined people’s control over their environment and criminalised their use of game’.

SAHGCA maintains the view that rhinos can pay for their own and other species’ conservation and protection through a well-managed legal trade in horn, starting with horn derived from natural deaths among current rhino populations.

“It is no accident or coincidence that South Africa has over 90% of the world’s rhino population. It took hard work, sound management principles and dedication from the conservation community to achieve this. It is time that the international community listens and understands that the answer to rhino conservation lies within Africa, and not in the conference halls of the world.”

Els says it serves no purpose to debate the medicinal value or not of rhino horn. “So-called education efforts to change people’s views on the medicinal value of rhino horn, is not only a waste of money, but another arrogant attempt to impose an Euro-American world and life view on other peoples in the world."

“All we can hope for now is that the DEA will make a decision that is in the interest of the rhino and that is right for Africa and its people. The right decision by both DEA and CITES will also assist us in addressing the serious threat to elephant and lion populations, which is currently being overshadowed by the rhino issue.”

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