The continued use of illegal rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine has claimed four more innocent lives.
Three male white rhinos and one female white rhino have been murdered in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing the reported total of rhinos killed this year in South Africa to 308. The bodies of the three male rhinos were found in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and the female in the Emakhosini-Ophathe Heritage Park.
A baby rhino, orphaned by the killing of its mother, is being cared for at the Centenary Game Capture Centre in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
Sadly, this news comes less than two weeks after KZN announced the deployment of an additional 18 field rangers to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and financial support from members of the South African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI).
On Sunday, the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife anti-poaching unit reportedly thwarted a group of three armed men pursuing a white rhino in the Western Shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Current system of ‘bail and release’ not a deterrent
There is a growing concern that the South African courts are a weak link in the battle to protect the country’s rhinos.
Despite diligent intelligence work and the subsequent arrests of 147 people in 2010, the South African courts have repeatedly granted affordable bail amounts as “punishment” for rhino-related crimes, rather than administer serious deterrents.
‘Insiders’ involved in illegal rhino horn trade
In addition to the court system failures, “insiders” from within the South African conservation community are apparently operating with unrestrained greed and cruelty, hoping to cash in on the rhino horn myth.
There is an in-depth look at this disturbing topic at Are ‘Insiders’ Intentionally Fueling Demand for Illegal Rhino Horn?, which notes that nefarious business alliances, private stockpile leakage, dehorning scams, and legalized trade speculation are exacerbating South Africa’s rhino crisis.
Continued use of illegal rhino horn in traditional ‘medicines’
Illegal rhino horn is in highly sought after for use in traditional medicines in China and Vietnam, despite the fact rhino horn has been extensively analyzed and contains no medicinal properties.
Research conducted by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC found that most rhino horns leaving Southern Africa are being smuggled to China and Vietnam.
It has also been noted that the spreading Chinese footprint in Southern Africa has placed the demand for rhino horn perilously close to the supply, and counter poaching reports have linked the increase in rhino and elephant killings to a flood of Chinese weapons in the region.
There are further concerns that a state-funded 2008 rhino horn research proposal from China served as one of the catalysts for the surge in rhino killings across Southern Africa by encouraging the use of rhino horn, and that the researchers are attempting to circumvent CITES research provisions by farming rhinos.
Source: “Four Rhino Poached in KZN.” Times LIVE. 13 Dec. 2010.
Image: istock.com
![Rhino Horns and Trophies Exported to Asia from South Africa 2000 – 2010 [Infographic]](http://www.rhinoconservation.org/wp-content/plugins/special-recent-posts/lib/phpimage.php?width=100&height=100&rotation=no&file=L2hvbWUyL2Jpb2RpdmUxL3B1YmxpY19odG1sL3dwLWNvbnRlbnQvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDEyLzA1L1JoaW5vVHJvcGhpZXNIb3Juc0luZm9ncmFwaGljVGh1bWJuYWlsLmpwZw==)
Ithink the rhinos should be protected so the poachers won’t kill them all.
Yet, some Chinese/Vietnames diplomats that were involved in the evil trade had been excused from their evil deed due to the good relationship between the two countries. Some people are above the law. Sad that we have to live with these kind of barbarians.