Huge blow for conservationists as South Africa legalizes domestic rhino horn trade
South Africa’s highest court had ruled to legalize the trade of rhino horn domestically, drawing criticism from the country’s conservationists.
The South African department of environmental affairs had sought to retain a moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horns which was dismissed last year by another court.
The ruling however only legalizes rhino horn trade within South Africa, and will have no impact internationally since a United Nations ban on international trade of the horns is still in force.
Conservationists in the country have criticized the ruling, saying it would open an avenue for poaching and illegal trade of the horns, not only in the country, but also internationally.
South Africa is home to about 20,000 rhinos, constituting 80 per cent of the entire world’s rhino population. About a third of the country’s rhinos are owned by private ranchers.
Breeder’s organizations in South Africa have argued that legalizing the trade is the only viable means to stop poachers. They say the rhino horns could be harvested in a professional and less painful way to enable them grow again. According to them, this would leave poachers with nothing to hunt.
Selling or buying the rhino horns will still however require licences.
Conservationists argue that even so, the harvested horns may still find their way into foreign black markets.
The number of rhinos poached in South Africa went down by 10 per cent in 2016. Activists however warn that the number of animals killed, which was more than 1000, still remains high.
