A review of British mammals: population estimates and conservation
Population & Distribution · conservation (100 animals or 0.5% of population) helped create rhino...
Transcript of Population & Distribution · conservation (100 animals or 0.5% of population) helped create rhino...
Population & Distribution
• Db bicornis Namibia and W. RSA • Db minor KZN; Zimbabwe Etc •Db michaeli East Africa : Kenya , Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Chad & RSA ( nucleus pop )
• Black Rhino 5 044 ~ 2 129 in SA or 42.2% •White Rhino 20 404 ~18 910 in SA or 92.7%
SA holds 84.4% of African Rhino
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2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Rhino Poached in South Africa
Rhino Poached in South Africa
• +4 000 rhinos poached from 2000 to end 2014 •Close to Population decline , KNP maybe over • Financial loss +R1.3 billion. • Loss in asset value due to poaching R 1.4 billion. •2015 has already lost 242 ?? Animals •If problem not quantified, it cannot be remedied
SA Private Rhino Reserves
• Own 27% or 5000 W Rhino •Own 26.2% or 535 B Rhino •About 380 rhino reserves ~ 2m ha •2014 estimate 80% had poaching incidents
• Of the 4000 + killed •Over 1000 on Pvt Reserves = value loss R325m •Population decline LP, NW , Gauteng & MP decline 9.3% •Horn value (Pvt sector alone) +R2.25 bn could have been used in Rhino conservation and protection AND Community upliftment
Impact on Private Reserves
Private Reserve Security Costs
• Vary from R240k to R6m Per Annum • 20 000ha R4.0 m PA = R170 ha • 25 000ha R3.84m PA = R153 ha • 50 000ha R6.0 m PA = R115 ha
• Average R136 ha x 2m ha = R272 000 000
• ZERO Assistance from Government !! • And inclination apparent on the horizon
PROA Owner Survey Pre CITES Cop 2013
• 32% response from 380 reserves (814 000 ha of 2 million ha)
• Representing rhino population +3000
• 80% support legal hunting • 91% support lifting of domestic moratorium • 97% support legal trade in rhino horn
• 47% will keep rhino - irrespective • 53% uncertain / sold / selling
Rhino value to Private reserves
Direct: • Tourism revenue • Existence = Conservation asset & live sales income • Trophy hunting R90 million Forex into rhino
conservation (100 animals or 0.5% of population) helped create rhino conservation success in the 1980’s • Potential product value (legalized trade) Benefits: • Rhino conservation and range expansion • Job creation, better economic land yield, community
benefits etc.
Private ownership on a cliff edge
• High Personal risk to Owners & staff – unlike any other game farm species with higher turnover yields
• Loss of asset R325m plus devaluation • High annual security costs R272m • Potential revenue loss from hunting – Kenya application (1 of only 3 economic pillars) • Disinvestment has already resulted in: - Habitat loss of +430 000 ha - Estimates +40 reserves no longer have rhino
SA cannot continue with failed strategies
• 1980 – 2014 83% decline in black rhino population • 100 000 rhino killed across Africa in the last 50 years • +20 range states have lost all rhino despite substantive
$ aid • “More of Same” including 1977 CITES ban not
working -Criminalise trade in horn = $benefit to criminals Crime Syndicates empowered a s ONLY traders Urgent need for change in policy direction
Random Facts
• Over 3 000 NGO’s , NPO’s and other Social
Media ‘experts’ have arisen as ‘authorities’ to Save the Rhino
• 99% own no rhino and carry no risk
Random Facts
State and Pvt Rhino Owners have invested billions in rhino conservation but now told we may not trade OR to ‘Burn the Dividends’ ??
What is the solution; Integrated approach!
• Focus on demand reduction • End user education, remove the exclusive status of
an illegal product • Lift moratorium- Recognise sustainable utilization • DNA control over all sold horns • CSO or other selling platform : Audited &
Taxed • Better policing/law enforcement/prosecutions • Revenue back to rhino conservation and security • Lift CITES ban - allow International trade
At current poaching rate extinction in the wild by 2026
• 1895 white rhino at point of extinction, then in 1960’s and now again under threat
• Part of our national heritage : DUTY to protect! • A member of the BIG FIVE • Generates foreign income – tourism, hunting, sales • Urgent need for political intervention! • Cost of rhino security now R1,4 billion PA
Solutions
Demand Reduction: • Educate end user market • Better international law enforcement • Combat corruption • Political will and pressure • STOP POLARIZATION and
SAVE the RHINO Legalized , Constant and Transparent Supply: • Lift domestic moratorium • Apply for international trade
Benefits
• Compete against, Collapse / Reduce illegal trade • Conservation revenue back to national , provincial
and private parks • Community Upl iftment & Benefits • Turn worthless stock piles into Conservation
revenue
SAVE RHINO LIVES
Conclusion
• If we do not get a 2/3 majority vote at CITES
We face the potential demise of all wild rhino as per over 20 range states
• We require a policy turn around based on
sustainable utilization bringing benefit to state, provincial, private , communities and ….
“RHINO”