South Africa has announced that in an effort to crack down on rhino poaching, rhinos across the country will be microchipped. But isn’t that what they said last year?

Here is the “big announcement” about microchipping all the rhinos and rhino horns:

South Africa announced sweeping new anti-poaching measures Friday, requiring an ID microchip for all rhinos and rhino horns and bringing in the military to guard the porous border near Kruger National Park.

Sounds convincing, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, we’ve heard it before.

After all, here is a similar announcement made in August 2008:

All rhinoceros horns in South Africa are to be microchipped in an attempt to curb the “dramatic” increase in the poaching and illegal trade of rhino horns in the country.

How can we be sure that South Africa will actually follow through on their plan to implant microchips in rhino “across the country”? What happened to last year’s plan?

If you read my last post about the rhino poaching crisis, you already know:

• Poachers have been caught – on several occasions – and not punished.
• High-ranking officials have been implicated in poaching investigations. Now there’s talk of “cover-ups.”
• Asian nationals have been caught red-handed with rhino horn – and still nothing is done.

And, poachers seem to be finding ways around the law, anyway.

How would microchipping the rhinos have changed any of those scenarios? Law enforcement had evidence – but allowed the criminals to walk. Trophy hunting operations collected money from their “clients.”

Microchipping sounds good. It makes it look like something is being done – “action is being taken!”

But will microchipping alone be enough to deter poachers? Will there be any changes in enforcement of anti-poaching laws? (How about taking a closer look at the “growing Asian footprint in Africa” that has conservationists terrified?)

I’m skeptical. But … here’s to hoping for the best!

Image source: flickr.com/kevinmiller/ / CC BY 2.0

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Will South Africa Follow Through on Microchipping Rhinos This Time? by Rhishja Larson originally published July 24, 2009 on EcoWorldly.

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