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December 2, 2009 | Rhino poaching on the rise worldwide | Washington: A new report by TRAFFIC and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has determined that
rhino poaching is on the rise worldwide. The report was submitted to the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) ahead
of its 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP15) in March. The rhino
trade is being driven by Asian demand for horns and is made worse by increasingly
sophisticated poachers, who now are using veterinary drugs, poison, cross bows
and high caliber weapons to kill rhinos, the report states. Since 2006, the majority
(95 percent) of the poaching in Africa has occurred in Zimbabwe and South Africa,
according to new data. "These two nations collectively form the epicentre of an
unrelenting poaching crisis in southern Africa," said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC.
The report documents a decline in law enforcement effectiveness and an increase
in poaching intensity in Africa. The situation is most serious in Zimbabwe where
rhino numbers are now declining and the conviction rate for rhino crimes in Zimbabwe
is only three percent. Despite the introduction of a number of new measures, poaching
and illicit horn trade in South Africa has also increased. "Concerted action at
the highest level is needed to stop this global crisis of rampant rhino poaching,"
said Amanda Nickson, Director of the Species Programme at WWF International. The
report also raises concerns regarding the low and declining numbers as well as
the uncertain status of some of the Sumatran and Javan rhino populations in Malaysia,
Indonesia and Vietnam. "Sumatran and Javan rhino range countries need to increase
efforts to better assess the current status of many of their rhino populations,
to enhance field law enforcement efforts, prevent further encroachment and land
transformation in rhino areas, and improve biological management of remaining
rhinos to ensure the few remaining Sumatran and Javan Rhino numbers increase,"
said Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group.
Most rhino horns leaving southern Africa are destined for medicinal markets in
southeast and east Asia, especially Vietnam, and also China. The report highlights
Vietnam as a country of particular concern - noting that Vietnamese nationals
operating in South Africa have recently been identified in rhino crime investigations.
In addition, concern has been expressed about the status of Vietnam's single Javan
rhino population. |
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