Push to hunt, trade white rhino

Namibia has proposed the down-listing of its white rhino population to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

This will allow for the international commercial trade of its white rhinos and for them to be used in selective trophy hunts. Namibia earlier this year submitted proposals to CITES to amend regulations on the protection and trade for both elephants and rhino in the country.

It proposed to down-list its population of white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II.

CITES has provisionally said in its analysis of the proposal that Namibia's wild population of white rhino is small but increasing.

“It does not seem characterised by one of the aggravating factors indicated under criteria in Appendix 1.”

CITES further said that the majority of the white rhino population is not concentrated geographically and the population does not have a “restricted distribution”.

There are no large short-term fluctuations in the population, although all rhino populations tend to be vulnerable to external factors, especially illegal killing for trade.

The proposed annotation and the measures implemented by Namibia to protect the species seem to address the recommendations regarding precautionary measures in, and be proportionate to, the anticipated risks to the species, said CITES.

Meanwhile, analysis by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as well as TRAFFIC, of Namibia's proposal, said that overall, the Namibian white rhino population does not meet the biological criteria for retention on Appendix I.

“The Namibian population does not have a restricted distribution. Its population is relatively small, but is increasing owing to a combination of population growth and imports. Nearly 80% of the population is in around 70 privately-owned subpopulations,” the report said.

According to the report although the poaching rate has increased, it is currently less than 1% of the population annually, which is lower than the core population growth rate. It said that the species is in demand for international trade and that the proposed annotation, which restricts the kinds of specimens and type of export trade to be permitted, can be considered a special measure under the terms of the precautionary measures.

“Namibia already undertakes such trade under the Appendix I listing and has a system in place to licence and track specimens in trade.”

The report further says that the proposal is for trade in live animals to appropriate and acceptable destinations and hunting trophies only.

Both live animals and trophies are currently in trade from Namibia under the Appendix I-listing.

“(Namibia) states that transferring the population to Appendix II will enable it to export live animals and hunting trophies to more countries and will increase revenue through sustainable use.”

According to the report, from 2008 to 2018, a total of 57 white rhino were legally hunted in Namibia, indicating an average annual off-take of 0.4 to 0.5% of the population, considerably below the rate of recruitment.According to the CITES Trade Database, Namibia reported that between 2008 and 2017 a total of 47 white rhino trophies were exported, in addition to a number of other commodities exported for trophy hunting purposes, including 10 horns.

Furthermore, between 2008 and 2018, under the current Appendix-I listing, Namibia exported 27 live white rhinos to Angola, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.

ELLANIE SMIT