Stop Rhino Poaching and Illegal Hunting of Rhinos in South Africa

• Under the white rhino’s current listing, trade of South African and Swaziland populations is permitted and, thus, are considered by CITES to be “not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled”. However, over 300 of these pachyderms were killed by poachers in South Africa alone in 2010, an increase of nearly 2,500% over the number illegally taken in this country just three years prior. South Africa holds over 90% of the global white rhino population and is the hardest hit nation in the world’s surging rhino poaching crisis, which is now approaching historic proportions. Over 220 rhinos have been lost to poachers there, so far this year. Additionally, for the first time in nearly two decades, one rhino was claimed by such criminals in Swaziland earlier this year. And it would seem that 1 is killed almost every day now.

The vast majority of these offenses are carried out by organized crime syndicates, of which many have been found to be operating under the auspices of “conservation”. In particular, the trophy hunting industry has emerged as a serious factor fueling the rampant poaching of Africa’s white rhinos. Numerous safari operators, private game farmers, professional hunters, and wildlife veterinarians have been linked to and arrested in connection with these crimes. Additionally, trophy hunters from East and Southeast Asia have been repeatedly implicated in using legal hunts to obtain rhino horns for sale on the black market. Consequently, it is now quite apparent that current allowable trade in this species is no longer being effectively nor closely monitored, greatly increasing the threat of extinction for this species.

Few of these syndicates nor their members have been brought to justice and issued punishments have failed to be deterring. Some individuals having been charged for such offenses on more than one occasion. In the midst of legally permitted trade in white rhinos, South Africa’s extensive counter-poaching efforts, collaborative law enforcement actions, and the nation’s judicial system have been unable to halt the unchecked poaching of its rhinos, and the situation is worsening. We need help to make the authorities wake up to the urgent need for protection and stand up to pretect the nations heritage for all, black and white, young and old and for future generations, not to mention the important ecological stability.

Additionally, mounting evidence has exposed China’s plans to farm white rhinos specifically to harvest their horns, which exploits loopholes left open by this animal’s Appendix II listing. As it is now, international trade in white rhinos “may be authorized by the granting of an export permit or re-export certificate” and “no import permit is necessary for this species under CITES”, unless otherwise required by certain countries with tighter restrictions. It is widely known that multiple rhinos have already been imported to China from South Africa for this purpose and facilities have been established there, in preparation for these plans. Such practices would violate established CITES agreements and undermine the purposes of the body’s existence.

Extremely lucrative black market trade has dramatically increased the value of rhino horns, which now fetch upwards of $50,000 (USD) per kilogram. The demand for the horns stems almost exclusively from East and Southeast Asia (especially from China and Vietnam), where they are used to make traditional medicines. However, scientific studies have repeatedly proven rhino horn to be void of any curative, medicinal properties.

The unprecedented demand for and resultant value of rhino horns, as well as corruption, continue to fuel the illegal killing of these animals. The world has seen over-hunting take this and other rhino species to the brink of extinction and there is serious concern that this could happen once again, if current trends continue.

It has become evident that, in order to regain control over this situation, the legal hunting and exportation of all rhinos must be banned as soon as possible. As South Africa’s and Swaziland’s white rhinos are, currently, the only rhinos for which any trade is permitted, it is now imperative that all commercial trade be halted. This can be accomplished by re-classifying the white rhino under CITES Appendix I.

I, Mr. Nico van Zyl and the supporters of the cause represented by the signatures of this petition formally requests the United Nations and global conservation authorities in particular the South African government, The minister of Environmental affairs and Tourism—as an acting party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species—to propose the entirety of the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) species as a candidate for Appendix I, under which all international commercial trade of this species will be prohibited. We make this recommendation and request on the grounds that:

• The rampant poaching of white rhinos seen today is largely being conducted by organized crime syndicates. Many of them have been repeatedly linked to the trophy hunting industry. In addition, foreign nationals from East and Southeast Asia have frequently been found to use trophy hunts to obtain rhino horns for sale on the black market. All of this underscores a large-scale failure to closely and effectively monitor current allowable trade of white rhinos in South Africa and Swaziland.

• Existing, extensive efforts to combat illegal hunting of these animals have been unable to stop it and can only benefit from the moving of this species from Appendix II to Appendix I. If all commercial trade of white rhinos is prohibited, individuals involved in the black market trade will be clearly distinguishable to authorities and the justice system.

• China’s plans to farm this species specifically for their horns exploits existing loopholes in the listing of South Africa’s and Swaziland’s white rhino populations under Appendix II, and threatens to undermine international agreements. Elevating this species to Appendix I will firmly clarify that these practices are not permitted.

• Failure to clamp down on the legal trade of these animals only provides an avenue for these criminal acts to continue, causing ecologic, economic, societal, and cultural damage on a large scale.

We thank you for considering our request, and ask that you keep the future of these pachyderms in the forefront of your minds when formalizing your proposals for the upcoming 16th CITES Conference of the Parties.

Sincerely,