Rhino Poaching 2014

[nan]

long time without figure... still about 3 per day

[Penga Ndlovu]

103

[Richprins]

rhino horn usage is now turning away from traditional customs and following nothing more than a deadly trend or fashion as a symbol of status. Until it becomes unacceptable, old hat, passe, repugnant or all of the above, we won't win this fight. If there is a market organised crime will exploit it and run rings around authorities in the process.

Good points! In the old days there was reputedly a demand for rhino horns as dagger handles in the Midle East...presumably that petered out?

[Penga Ndlovu]

104

[Richprins]

http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/NewsDeta ... wsId=71584




SA snubs conference on illegal wildlife tradeToday's News
17 Mon, Feb 2014

South Africa was notably absent at a conference on illegal wildlife trade held in the UK last week. Last year, more than 1 000 rhino were poached in SA and at least 86 rhino have been lost to poaching this year, according to the latest departmental figures, released at the end of January.

The London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade 2014 was hosted by the UK government to reach a high level political commitment to take action to tackle illegal wildlife trade. It was attended by leaders from countries including the US, Canada, Germany, France, China, Laos and Vietnam. African countries represented included Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Zimbabwe was also not represented.

The conference focused on elephants, rhinos and tigers and aimed to tackle aspects of the illegal wildlife trade including strengthening law enforcement and the criminal justice system; reducing demand for illegal wildlife products; and supporting the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by illegal wildlife trade.

Following the conference, a declaration was signed recognising the consequences of illegal wildlife trade, committing to political action and calling on the international community to act together to bring illegal trade to an end. The declaration endorsed governments that had destroyed seized wildlife products and renounced the use of products from species threatened with extinction.

The signatories agreed that investigating the links to corruption and organised crime should be a priority and committed to improving cross border cooperation.

The full declaration can be read here. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 140213.pdf

Last week, the White House also announced a national strategy to combat wildlife trafficking and banned the commercial trade of elephant ivory.

[H. erectus]

Thanks RP,.. now I wonder why would they not want to
be present!!! They would have filled the limelight yet
preferred abstention??????!!! Imagine the whole world
beginning to ask question about their little gold mine,..


Nah, you know what, as far as SANparks goes with
commitment to a cause, it reeks with arrogance!!!

They will not be told how to do their business in fear
of exposure!!!! They simply just cannot foot the bill
for some un- holy reason or another??

[Richprins]

Check the comments under the first link...BMW's etc...

[H. erectus]

Cannot be bothered,...

[Flutterby]

[wynand]

South Africa was notably absent at a conference on illegal wildlife trade held in the UK last week

Not entirely correct. SA was represented at the conference by the DDG and two other delegates.

The declaration, I believe, was supported but technically it could not be signed by the SA delegates because only the Minister of DEA has the power to sign. There was the unfortunate clash with the Sate of the Nation Address.

As I mentioned before. The war against poaching here on the ground cannot be won. It only buys time and I would have liked to see a high-power SA delegation play a stronger role at that conference.