Poaching: are we running out of rhinos?

A STRATEGIC REPORT on poaching just released by the Department of Environmental Affairs shows that fewer rhinos but more elephants are being killed. Of concern, however, is what it leaves out.

Up to August this year, 506 rhinos were poached in South Africa, 333 in the Kruger National Park. That’s 185 fewer than the same period last year. At the same time poaching incursions into KNP increased from 1 702 last year to 1873 this year.

Taken together – higher incursions and fewer kills – it’s bad news, meaning there are fewer and fewer rhinos left to hunt. And as rhino kills decline, elephant poaching has increased, with 58 shot this year.

“If we look at the bigger picture,” said wildlife filmmaker Bonné de Bod, “while the government lauds the success of fewer rhino poaching incidents, the rhino population numbers, specifically white rhinos, have seen an alarming decline. There are just fewer rhinos left in the park to poach.”

According to the department’s report, 400 rhino poaching suspects were arrested this year, of which 162 were in Kruger Park.

However, arrests are not translating into court appearances. Only 70 cases, involving 163 accused, have gone to court. There are also still 530 rhino-poaching-related cases still on court rolls, which involve more than 750 accused on more than 1 700 charges. And despite 300 of these cases being trial-ready, only a handful appear to have set court dates.

The IFP’s chief whip in Parliament, Narend Singh, said: “Far too often we are seeing cases being bungled by poorly executed SAPS arrests and untrained prosecutors. There is the ever-present spectre of corruption and then, when there is a conviction, the sentence handed down is simply far too lenient.”

The DA’s Ross Purdon said: “We have major concerns regarding the consistency of the courts and the legal system. We’re aware of lenient sentencing from the Skukuza court, and the granting of bail to repeat offenders. The early release of the Thai kingpin of illegal rhino poaching and horn trade, Chumlong Lemtongthai, is an absolute disgrace.”

Some of the arrests show that poachers are sometimes getting “inside” help. Since January, four Kruger officials have been arrested by SANParks enforcement staff for poaching-related offences. These include members of the SAPS and the SA National Defence Force.

According to the report, following the lifting of the moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horn, 28 permits have been issued for the sale of 1219 rhino horns.

According to the Environmental Wildlife Trust, this presents opportunities for laundering illegal horn through legal trade channels. Responding to the report, it said: “As rhino horn is mostly a consumed product, traceability once acquired by a consumer is even more challenging than may be the case for ivory or other wildlife products.”