Africa Wild

Rhino horn trade panel: Why the silence?
July 10 2014 at 03:30pm
By Tony Carnie

Durban - The Department of Environmental Affairs remained mum on Wednesday about the names of the 10-member “panel of experts” that will shape the government’s position on whether to try to scrap the international ban on rhino horn trading.

This has fuelled speculation in some conservation circles that the panel might be weighted with members with an openly pro-trade stance, and that Environment Minister Edna Molewa may be considering appointing further panellists or co-opting extra advisory members to deflect criticism around its composition.

Last week, Molewa invited members of the public to make formal submissions to the panel, which would submit a final report to the government on whether South Africa should push to overturn a global ban on the sale of rhino horns as a way to curb the relentless poaching toll in a country that now protects more than 80 percent of Africa’s surviving rhinos.

The Mercury, along with other interested parties, sent questions to the department last week requesting the names of the panel members – but so far there has been no response.

Molewa confirmed last week that that the panel, appointed in April, had held two formal meetings after a cabinet decision last July to “explore the feasibility of South Africa tabling a proposal for the legalisation of commercial international trade in rhino horn” at the next meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cities) in 2016.

The only panellist who has been identified so far is the chairman, Fundisile Mketeni, the department’s deputy director-general of biodiversity and conservation.

Molewa said the panel might also “co-opt experts as the need arises” and also engage with various stakeholders during the public consultation process.



The Conservation Action Trust has questioned the department’s stance, and its failure to disclose the names of panel members.

“The appointment process has not been public or transparent and the names of the ‘shadowy panel’, apart from the chairperson, have been withheld despite repeated requests to the department that have been ignored,” said trust spokesman Francis Garrard.

Nevertheless, the trust said it had established the names of at least four panellists known to be in favour of trade. - The Mercury

Why is this a secret

However, another one is known: Pelham Jones (Chairman Private Rhino Owners Association) has been appointed to serve on the expert panel representing the needs of the private rhino owners.
(Link)

Are there other experts representing the needs of rhino, representing the needs of conservation

Intresting comment on this here:

http://www.news24.com/Columnists/GuestC ... A-20140715

Obviously private owners must be on the panel! Also pro-traders?

But agreed, the decision has been made, and 2016 is about 2500 rhino away...

Oi yoy yo, but these people have much time to waste,
the experts!!!!!


I can momentarily see only one good situation here,.. that
trade will not happen till then, yet the slaughter will continue.

By advantage maybe such decision,....??????

H. erectus wrote:By advantage maybe such decision,....??????

A well known fact, procrastination causes all sorts of evil ,...

This is such a complex matter and I wonder if it will ever be solved to everyone's satisfaction .

On the one hand , we have the "conservationists " whose opinion it is that trade should not be allowed at all , and that by legalising it , will speed up the extinction of the rhino , whiles , on the other hand we have the " pro-trade " , and who argue for a controlled trade , etc etc .
Now who is right and who is wrong is difficult to say .
What must however be taken into account is trade in rhino horn exists , and although the demand therefore seem to be barbaric , stupid , or whatever , it exists , and it appears that whatever happens , whether trade is legalised or not , that trade will continue to exist . And , probably , as long as the Chinese people become more affluent and able to afford to pay the price thereof , trade will still continue to exist . There's just no two-ways about it
The thing is , what to do about it

Lets argue this just a little bit .
If trade remains illegal , it will not stop poaching . No sir , it will continue to thrive as an industry , and as long as there are still rhino's somewhere , they will remain targets to be poached . And , as rhino's become more and more shot out and killed off , the price for the horn will just become more expensive , and making rhino's more and more attractive to be shot/killed/poached , whatever

Now , what happens if trade is legalised ? Will the price for horn drop , making it less attractive to be poached ? Hmmmmm......... No , not necessarily so . In fact poaching syndicates may actually become more bold in their actions , even maybe coming right out into the open .( Some of them may even start breeding rhino's ) .
Remember , the fact that it is illegal to trade in drugs such as cocaine , mandrax , etc ., does not mean that its not happening In fact , there is a very thriving market for it , both legal as well as illegal . Look , I am not advocating the trade in drugs , just pointing out that trade is taking place .
Now , lets look at possible positive " spin-off " for legalising trade in rhino horn .
We already know that Kruger National park is basically the largest resource for rhino horn , and as long as there are poachers , they will target Kruger .
Currently however , private reserves/owners are becoming more and more reluctant to keep rhino's at all , which means that Kruger NP will increasingly be the main target , and more and more poaching will probably be focussed there .
It is costly for private reserves to ensure the safety of their rhino , which is probably the main reason why they are becoming more reluctant to keep rhinos . However , if trade is legalised , then private reserves will probably be more inclined to keep them , and continue to breed them , in order to harvest the horns and thereby making it more lucrative for them to do so , see to security , etc etc .
Would that be a bad thing ? No , not if it would save the rhino from extinction .
Poaching will always be around whether trade is legal or not . But rhinos will not be around if something is not done to stop their extinction . For that they need to continue to breed , by whatever means - wild or captive

Very well-put, okie! Also, the more game farmers that go out of business, the more jobs, tourism dollars and conservation land lost.

RP Just consider what is happening at present concerning so-called " rare game " . These are animals different colour mutations than the ordinary run-of-the mill creature . Copper springbok , and black springbok and white springbok , and saddle-back blesbuck , and so on , etc . And just about every beef farmer in the bushveld have discovered how lucrative it is to breed these animals , usually taking up a smallish space/portion of large ( normal ) game or beef ranches . What happen to these animals ? Nobody advertise it out loudly but they are probably bred for trophy shooting purposes , but in the meantime , they are fetching unheard of prices on game auctions .
It is a thriving business . And a lot of beef ranches actually change completely to game ranching , meaning increased conservation .
And I even read about a farmer who has set up part of his beef/game ranch , specifically as a rare-game " hotel " . The city people can now buy rare game , and send it to his farm , and he will basically farm those rare colour animals for the city .
Just think , today , in South Africa , there are many many more wild animals ( game ) on farms all over the country , than there were 20 years ago .
And venison is very much more readily available to be bought at retail shops than it ever was before .

Now OKie,.. ,... Why would one big rhino farmer then wish
to sell -up,..maybe some food for thought!!!