Breeding farm for sale, a critical moment for conservation
The imminent dismembering of maverick rhino conservationist John Hume’s Platinum Rhino project, up for auction from April 26 toMay 1 — International Rhino Day — is a critical moment for conservation efforts beyond saving the second-largest land mammal.
It highlights the challenges of sustainably managing and financing large-scale conservation projects, as well as the complexities of the legal rhino horn trade. It also raises questions about the role of captive breeding in conserving endangered species, and the need for robust protection to ensure the survival of wild populations.
In a bold attempt to combat rhino poaching, Hume built the world ’ s largest rhinoceros breeding farm in the NorthWest in 2008. His plan was to create a sustainable legal rhino horn trade by selling the horns of his captive rhinos, which he believed would reduce the demand for poached horns. Unlike elephant tusks, rhino horns grow back at a rate of 4cm a year if removed correctly.
No amount of public awareness and messaging about the hogwash that these horns are good for your sex life or cure cancer will stop the Asian obsession with these keratin gold bars. Problem is, after 15 years and without any legal international trade, Hume has announced that he has reached a financial breaking point, and his 8,500ha farm, along with almost 2,000 white rhinos, will be put up for auction with a starting bid of $10m. So far, white knights have been hard to spot.
Hume’s plan was as ambitious as it was controversial, and faced many challenges from the start. The international trade in rhino horns is highly regulated by Cites, a global treaty that prohibits such trade, and legalising it has been a contentious issue. Hume’s farm has helped increase rhino numbers in captivity, but there are questions about how this practice is benefiting rhino populations in the wild. Ultimately though, it comes down to the bottom line. The costs of running such a large operation have been huge, with Hume spending $425,000 a month on farm operations.
The auction raises questions about the future of rhino conservation. Hume’s hope is that the buyer, or buyers, will have the passion and means to continue the breeding project and find other revenue streams, such as biodiversity credits, to sustain it.
SECURITY COSTS
However, the reality of such credit systems for conservation is yet to be established, and Hume’s farm has been largely financed out of pocket. Any potential buyer would also have to take on the costs of defending the rhinos against poaching, as Hume’s farm has implemented an extensive security apparatus to keep poachers at bay.
And who knows whether an Asian buyer with deep pockets might just snap up 2,000 white rhinos for slaughter? The conservation status of rhinos worldwide is dire, with only about 22,000 remaining across Africa. Most of them are near-threatened southern white rhinos, similar to those at Hume’s farm. Poaching remains the major problem, with about 450 rhinos killed by poachers in SA last year alone.
The captive rhinos at Hume’s farm have the potential to contribute to wild populations through reintroduction programmes, as illustrated by successful releases of captive-born rhinos into national parks in Rwanda in 2009.
Conservation organisations and policymakers must carefully consider the implications of this auction and work towards finding solutions that prioritise the long-term survival of rhinos in the wild. This could involve exploring other revenue streams for conservation, such as biodiversity credits, and addressing the root causes of poaching, such as poverty and demand for illegal wildlife products. But that seems a little naive and fanciful. What it probably needs is a complete overhaul of the way we think about trade in rhino horn.
“That ’ s why we have been asking the department of forestry, fisheries & environment for years to see the light, but unfortunately in vain,” Hume tells me.
As the world faces increasing biodiversity loss and the extinction crisis deepens, it is crucial to prioritise conservation efforts that ensure the survival of endangered species in their natural habitats. After all, what is the rise of environmental, social & governance considerations and responsible investing about if we cannot find a way to prevent the extinction of species?
Many scientific experts agree, though, that we are experiencing a mass extinction event, referred to as the “sixth mass extinction ” or the “anthropocene extinction ”, one that is largely driven by human activities.
According to The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, a comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of species worldwide, 28% of the Earth’s biodiversity is at risk of disappearing. Think about that for a moment. And the obvious cascading effects on entire ecosystems and ultimately human wellbeing.
Hume’s project is a clarion call to confront the reality that legalisation of trade may be the only sustainable solution we have in a world where myth and superstition trump science and reason, if we are to save the second-largest earth mammal.