Bail was granted to five more rhino horn crime suspects.
Five people who were arrested last week for possession of rhino horn have been granted bail by the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court. The suspects – Andile Mjamba, Keabetswe Phiri, Ampore Motsepo, Simon Phiri, and Montle Motsepo – were released on R5,000 (USD $707) each, after being caught with rhino horn valued at R225,000 (USD $32,700).
Using the average white rhino horn weight of 5.5 kilograms and premium pricing, this cache of horns could be worth as much as USD $550,000 in Vietnam and USD $825,000 in China.
The gang of alleged smugglers, who were arrested in Mahikeng, North West Province, are expected to make another court appearance on the 28th of February.
Bail not a deterrent
Recently, world-renowned expert in ivory and rhino horn trade, Dr. Esmond Martin was interviewed by Wildlife Direct‘s Paula Kahumbu about the rhino slaughter in Southern Africa.
Dr. Martin explained that the system of granting bail for rhino-related crimes is indeed a major concern. He pointed out that rhino poaching in Swaziland is a non-bailable offense, and that in Nepal, the forest department – not the court system – administers punishment to rhino poachers.
Listen to the interview here:
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?
Rhino slaughter continues
In South Africa, 333 rhinos were slaughtered in 2010, nearly tripling 2009′s total of 122. Since the start of 2011, six rhinos have been killed in the country.
South Africa’s most recent killing occurred in KwaZulu-Natal. Prior to that, two rhinos were murdered in Kruger National Park, a pregnant rhino was slaughtered in the Hoedspruit area, and another near Musina. Still another was killed in the Eastern Cape, at Kariega Game Reserve near Kenton-on-Sea.
In addition, at least seven rhinos have been gunned down in Zimbabwe, one in India , and another in Nepal.
Continued use of illegal rhino horn in traditional ‘medicines’
At the root of the rhino crisis is the continued use of rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine.
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.
Spreading Chinese footprint in Southern Africa
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.
Abuse of CITES research loopholes
There are further concerns that state-funded rhino horn use proposals from China served as one of several catalysts for the surge in rhino killings across Southern Africa.
Such proposals, which surfaced in 2008 and 2009, encourage the use of rhino horn, and strongly suggest the PRC government is attempting to circumvent CITES research provisions by blurring the lines between research and commercial trade in rhinos.
Source: “Rhino horns – five get bail.” News24. 24 January 2011
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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Rhishja, I would like to get in touch with you as I have an idea on how we may be able to regain the upper hand with these poachers. Please email me
Bail….paid by whom and with money obtained in a legal way???? This bail was most likely paid with money obtained by illegal rhinohorn trading?
What a blow to all the law enforcement persons and game rangers that work so hard to bring these criminals to justice….and then the system fails them.
And still no word from the South African Goverment, any cabinet minister or even any opposition politician. Why so quiet? Is it not to upset “big-brother”, communist China???
Not even any of South Africas many celebrities, TV-personalities or sport-personalities has spoken out and taken a stans against the rhino SLAUGHTER????
Things can’t continue the way they are at the moment. This is a national treasure that is being plundered for the sake of some Eastern myth.
More presure, by whatever means, should be put on goverment and politicians to take immediate, drastic, action to combat this MASSACRE!!! Time is running out for the rhinos!!!Time for action!!! STOP TALKING AND START DOING!!!!
A contagious disease expert, asks the question, that its coming known that some species of rats, nibble on stored animal horns, and ivory stored for long periods, these horns should be treated with a insecticide,/ pesticide or otherwise the infected horns can carry and transmit, pneumonia plague, which is an aerosolized bacteria, there have also been many cases from handling and dissection of contaminated animal tissue and animal horns and tusks. Pneumonic Plague can be spread by airborne means, and person to person and can very quickly wipe out 90- 95 % of the population. Deaths start to occur within 24 Hours
Hi Kevin -
Yes, my first choice would be see rhino horn stockpiles destroyed altogether, but if they must be stored, treating with a pesticide would not only render the rhino horn useless for bogus medicinal uses, it would keep potential diseases from spreading.
Rhishja
Hi Johan -
Yes, the rhino crisis is indeed a political matter which extends far beyond the realms of wildlife conservation, and I do think that rhino horn consumer countries – especially China and Vietnam – need to be confronted at the governmental level. For example, while China has handed out significant punishments for rhino horn trafficking (a 12-year sentence last year), there is the issue of legal trade (“research”) loopholes, which China appears to be exploiting for commercial trade.
Keep helping us spread the word. Global public awareness of the rhino crisis has increased significantly over the last 18 months, and awareness is a critical step for change.
Rhishja