It's up to us to save the rhinos
It’s time to stop talking and take measures to safeguard these giant endangered creatures, writes Orielle Berry
KELLY Enright, environmentalist and author, writes in the moving preface to this superbly researched book: “It is a frightening fact that the future existence of rhinoceros is entirely dependent upon the will of humans.”
The authors of this book call it a rhino war and that it is. Last year it entered its 10th year and annually the statistics of rhino deaths paint a staggeringly frightening picture. In South Africa they’ve risen from 83 in 2008 to 1 054 deaths in 2016 (662 killed in Kruger Park); while for Africa as a whole, rhino mortalities from 2006 to 2015 total 6 083.
A ripple effect is that over the years the numbers of private reserves filled with rhinos has dropped radically as well. While there were historically about 400 reserves, by 2015 this figure had dropped by 70 to 330. Why? Certain reserves had all their rhino poached or some poached and they sold the rest, so they could no longer exist.
The reasons for the war are simple, as the authors set out to prove. Historically, rhinos have long been sought – from the old days when colonials sought them as hunting trophies to more contemporary times when rhino horns, prized in the Far East and Southeast Asia, are ruthlessly hacked off and shipped east.
Clive Walker writes: “By 1990 Tsavo (National Park in Kenya) had lost all of its 9 000 black rhino to Kalashnikov-wielding tribesmen. The rhino found their way to Mombasa and then onwards to Yemen, the Gulf States and China. The trail has since changed routes, and it now has a variety of sophisticated Southeast Asian destinations, managed by faceless individuals dealing in high-end contraband from the blood-soaked real estate in Africa.”
He goes on to say: “A modern form of neo-colonialism has invaded our shores. The quest to commandeer Africa’s wealth has its source not in Europe, but in Asia. Although anxious to be seen as helping Africa, in reality the players have other agendas.” He adds: “The problem is not entirely of our own making in spite of all our own faults… it lies elsewhere. As long as the belief exists… that the horns they carry on top of the nose are essential to good health and well-being, somewhere, far away in another place, someone is going to seek them.”
But reading through this handsomely-illustrated book it’s not all doom and gloom. The Walker father and son team offer comprehensive historical accounts and explanations as to why the current status quo exists but, most importantly, worthy alternatives to fighting a war that appears to have no sight in end and is being waged at a huge cost to NGOs, wildlife organisations and government authorities.
From a local point of view, the cycle of poverty and lack of sufficient awareness and training, say the Walkers, is often the root core of the problem and reason for poaching. Reads one of the captions to a picture of woman selling vegetables at a makeshift roadside stall: “How can you reconcile her (the woman’s) position with a well-stocked game farm down the road? Can anyone be surprised when the question is asked: ‘Are rhinos more important than people?’”
Many driving crime are targeting poverty-stricken desperate youth living around game parks with attractive offers of cash. They are the bottom end of the crime syndicates. But there are ways to change this, the Walkers say. Community engagement is key, as well as offering alternatives to employment. Wildlife tourism can be an attractive employment prospect if presented in the correct way.
The book tracks the dozens of debates, meetings and symposiums that have been held over the years from the key 1988 Skukuza Rhino Workshop where the horror story was already spelt out of the wiping out of black rhino, all the way to the CITES CoP17 conference in 2016.
There proposals of tougher regulations and sentencing for criminals, as well as commitment to tackling the trade at source, were discussed. But, as the authors ask: “What actions emanated from CoP17 regarding the future of all five rhino species? Answer: “Nothing much.”
At the same conference, Dr John Ledger, former director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, said: “Why don’t we stop playing lethal absurd games and get down to business by introducing a legal, controlled, transparent trade in rhino horn with China? It is surely the only sensible way to get out of the untenable solution we find ourselves in today.”
This is something that is suggested extensively in the book, partly in a section titled: “Why do we believe a legal trade in rhino could save the rhino?”
The answers actually seem to be no-brainers – as the authors say, if one is bold enough to subscribe to this radical approach it would be better to meet the demand for supply, and thereby reduce poaching levels; ending or diminishing illegal trade. It would also reduce the huge burden of law-enforcement costs; existing stockpiles held by provincial, national and private reserves could be utilised; funding could then go to other vital conservation work and, importantly, it would reduce the stress associated with high-level crime and its collateral damage on innocent lives.
Finally, and key to this argument they and other proponents say, it has the potential to make rhino the most valuable, and accordingly, the most protected animal in Africa.
This book is probably the ultimate reference book on rhinos.
Just about every aspect of the rhino from their historical significance; their physical attributes and characteristics; their locations and behaviour, the differences between white and black rhinos and other rhinos; their locations and habitats; to the many tireless individuals from academics, wildlife enthusiasts to the men on the ground – the game rangers and wardens – are examined and comprehensively described.
There are wonderful quotes from experts and the authors most certainly do not shy away from observations and criticisms of where things have gone wrong and how to address the issues.
Reading it and enjoying the visual feast of the beauty of our reserves and the sterling work done to protect rhino, and also the gruesome illustrations of plundered rhino, is vital. It brings home the point that yes, it’s time to stop talking and take urgent positive measures to safeguard these giant endangered creatures.