‘Legal trade in rhino horn stimulates demand, which increases poaching’
It is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds or cocaine
ALLOWING trade in rhino horn in South Africa will undercut enforcement efforts in the rest of Africa, China, Vietnam and other Asian countries.
It’s a major setback in tackling trafficking in wildlife, a renowned wildlife advocate has said.
“We see this as very dangerous and threatening the future existence of rhinos in many countries,” said US-based global advocacy Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) vice-president for international policy Susan Lieberman. “There is no reason someone would need horns for personal use, this would be a cover for trade, and would likely stimulate further trafficking and poaching.”
Breeder John Hume, who owns more than 1 500 rhinos on his private ranch in South Africa, has announced an online auction of horns from August 21-24, saying “revenues will be used to further fund the breeding and protection of rhinos”.
Admitting that there’s a possibility that the limited trade in rhino horn will initiate demand to legalise its trade in other countries too, Lieberman, who has worked in the international wildlife trade for more than 25 years, said “poaching would likely increase, not decrease”.
The government of South Africa, home to 80% of the world’s 25 000 rhinos, has prepared draft regulations for a limited export of rhino horn.
It would allow foreigners to export up to two horns apiece for personal use.
The guidelines come in the wake of a Constitutional Court ruling in April overturning a 2009 moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horn. India, too, is home to over 500 one-horned rhinos, 2 according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Indian wildlife advocates fear it could also lead to a surge in the demand for the horns of Indian rhinos in the international wildlife trade.
Lieberman, who has also worked with the US government, said “a legal trade in rhino horn stimulates demand and stimulates the market, which facilitates increased poaching and trafficking”.
“It creates a flow of horns into which rhino horns from poached animals can be laundered.
“We have seen historically that the only thing that curbs poaching of rhinos and illegal trade in horn is a shutdown of the market.”
She said lifting the ban with the aim of helping to generate revenues for private reserve owners would be a “major setback” in efforts to curb trafficking and poaching.
“There is no market to speak of in South Africa and allowing these sales will undercut enforcement efforts in other African countries with rhinos and those where horn is trafficked, besides China, Vietnam and other Asian countries.”
The international wildlife trade, which generates approximately 14 billion euro (R219bn) a year, is believed to be the fourth-largest illegal trade in the world after drugs, weapons and human trafficking.
“Just as with the ivory trade, there is no effective way to regulate the trade in rhino horn. In some cases, there can be a regulated commercial trade in species; under Cites (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), that is not allowed for Appendix I (threatened species) species. Rhinos are Appendix I, and there should be no commercial trade.”
Lieberman said she foresees no domestic demand for rhino horn in South Africa.
“South Africa may allow export of rhino horn, but that does not create a legalised international trade, as they still need to be legally imported elsewhere and most source countries have banned the import of rhino horns, for example, Vietnam and China.”
Lieberman said she could not predict which country would be the main buyer of legalised rhino horn.
“It’s against the law in China and Vietnam to purchase or sell rhino horn or products with rhino horn.
“This would undermine their enforcement efforts. If South Africa proceeds with this, it could (be the end of rhinos) lead to an increase in poaching of wild rhinos in far too many countries, as well as undercut efforts aimed at curbing the trafficking of rhino horn.”
On the demand of those who favour legalising the horn trade arguing that it will help raise money for conserving rhinos, she said it was “a commercial venture and there is no evidence it will benefit conservation”.
“Many countries and NGOs are working hard to change consumer purchasing behaviour in Asia, for example, and this will undermine those efforts.”
A research finding published in Science Advances, an online academic journal, said that rhino horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds or cocaine.
The rhino horn, thought to have powers as a cure for cancer, an aphrodisiac and a cure-all in some Asian nations, currently sells for $60 000 (R803 000) a pound, according to lead author William Ripple, a professor of ecology at Oregon State University. – IANS