Rhino poaching runs rampant, about 150 dead rhino this year. SANParks and the South African government fail to stop wildlife trafficking, illegal trade of endangered rhino.
The Parliamentary Rhino Hearings. SANParks pulls out when about 50% of the rhino’s poached are occurring in South Africa’s premier game reserve, the famous Kruger National Park. The Parliamentary Rhino Hearings are largely attended by private organizations and individual animal rights activists. Where is the South African government? Isn’t this attack on Africa’s rhino by the syndicates (wildlife trafficking or illegal trade) a matter of national concern?
The Rhino Summit. Again SANParks can’t come and the summit falls apart. Falls apart as though the alarming numbers of rhino being poached (at the rate of 1.6 per day) is not of utmost importance!
One of South Africa’s famous Big Five is being slaughtered for its horn which is trafficked to Asia. Is South Africa willing to down grade to the Big Four?
Okay, so the South African army is called in to patrol the Kruger National Park. That seemed promising at last the rhino had some defense. However, there appears to be no reduction in rhino poaching. Actually reports suggest that the soldiers only work by day and party by night! Now, isn’t that when the poachers are most active?
What’s going on? Three situations where SANParks and the South African government should be leading the war against rhino poaching and their track record…
A very small percent of poachers are apprehended and an even smaller amount ever sentenced to prison for their atrocious crimes.
Must we conclude then that South Africa is for sale? What else is being sold off like the rhino? Are we all missing something much larger going on here?
With rhino horn worth as much as cocaine on the streets in Asia, the rhino has become a mere commodity. The commodity of choice it seems for many engaged in illegal trafficking. It appears that those in power in South Africa, those who are appointed to save the rhino are the very same who have sold out, otherwise why wouldn’t they be doing absolutely everything in their power to save the rhino, both the endangered black rhino and the soon to be endangered again, white rhino.
Nikela sent a letter to the Director of SANParks asking how we might be of help, showing our confidence that in the system, suggesting they knew what they were doing and would take charge and protect the largest rhino population in South Africa. Well, besides a very polite acknowledgement of receipt of our letter, nothing.
Now, at Nikela when we get offers to help we gratefully put people to work. There are funds to raise, research to be done, blog posts to be written, social networking to be done, just to name a few tasks. So it is beyond me that Nikela’s offer to help, and that of other organizations are not embraced with gusto.
The only way I can explain this horrible predicament the rhino is in, is that South Africa is for sale. What is going to happen once the rhino is all gone? Who’s next? Well, the experts tell me that the leopards, lions, elephants and others are already being targeted. What about the human impact? The human impoverishment when anything can be bought for a price?
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I read your very sad but just article. I am very shocked the SA government is not reacting at all. Because in my opinion they are not interested in SA. I am afraid they are deep in rhinopoaching themselves and who cares, after us the Sinflood. Apparenly SANparks is ruled by the very same spirit. Years and years we in Europe had to hear how bad the Boergovernment was, how gruesome Apartheid was. And that is absolutely true about apatheid, but apparently the Boers didn’t do everything wrong.Are all blacks indifferent. By no means, so many black and colored people in SA care as well as many whites. It seems only the government does not care. SA Government SHAME on you.You are not worth to be called a government.
Thank you for taking time to comment, Mrs Joosten. You address apartheid. Although that was a very ethnic issue I believe South Africa’s struggle today with wildlife trafficking (rhino poaching) crosses all cultural lines. Sadly, blacks, whites, yellow, brown are all being bought for a price with long term consequences for South Africa’s environment, wildlife and people.
It’s becoming more apparent that South Africa has not been complying to the CITES recommendations. Rhino horn trade has been on-going for decades under the counter and once again the White rhino is endangered. It’s time the entire world stood up to the South African Government and condemned them for allowing this bogus substance to be sold as a pseudo-medicine to people in the Far East. The entire concept of rhino horn trade is ridiculous. Please lobby your local CITES Committee to fight for the White Rhino to be returned to CITES APPENDIX I !!! This will afford it much better protection on par with the Black Rhino. You could also lobby the Chinese Embassy in your country to prevent this from happening.
Thank you got taking time to expound Margot. Appreciate your recommendations for action.