CONSERVING THE RHINOS IN AFRICA By Doughty Chibeya

In today’s conservation management, research is a very important component of every organization. The dynamic nature of the natural environment, research helps you monitor ecological processes, management impacts and progress and adapt your management style according to the prevailing trend. It also helps managers understand the natural environment better and hence make informed managerial decisions.

Alan Rabinowitz said “It is a miracle that rhinos still walk the face of the earth. No other group of animals has been so highly priced for so long, yet managed to survive human onslaught”

The Black Rhino

Of the dozens of species of rhino that once roamed the earth, only 5 now exist. According to International Rhino Foundation, there are two species left in Africa, i.e. Ceratotherium simum simum (white rhino) and Diceros bircornis (black rhino). Poaching has been there for years but it became a punishable offence in the Late Middle Ages. During the 1700s, humans turned to poaching for survival. Rhinos were hunted because they were a dietary favourite. Poaching in East African countries worsened due to high demands of the horn from Yemeni markets around the 1970s. The increase led to the introduction of the 1977 CITES ban which aimed at regulating trade in endangered wildlife. The black rhino was put in Appendix I of CITES. Poaching stabilized in 1994 by 90% of the population leading to the survival of rhinos in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. From the year 2000 to date commercial poaching is increasing rampantly especially in countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The White Rhino

Africa’s rhinos have faced two catastrophic crises over the past 50years. The first being from the late 1970s to mid 1990s were rhino populations declined through poaching to support traditional rhino horn trades for medicine in Asia and the production of dagger handles (Jamboyis) in Yemen (a country on the western side of Asia, closest to Africa). The dagger handles are carved using the rhino horn and worn proudly by youths who reached adulthood, signifying them being men.  Zimbabwe and South Africa are the two countries in Africa affected by poaching. Statistics on rhino poaching released by the South African government reveal that a record of 668 rhinos, were killed across the country in 2011. (www.wwf.org.za)

People poach because of the value of the rhino horn and prospect of making profit. Rhino horn is valued in certain parts of the world for medicinal and cultural reasons. In the Far East, especially China, people believe the powdered horn can be used as medicine to reduce fever. Because of their traditional believes, consumers in those countries are even prepared to pay the high price US$ 580 p/kg for a new horn, and $US 1200 for antique rhino horn. Vietnam has an ancient history of using the rhino horn as a traditional medicine to cure a range of illnesses. Recent literature on Vietnamese traditional medicine states that rhino horn is mainly composed of keratin, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate. When hydrolyzed, it is believed to release amino acids such as tryrosine and cysteine (Milliken T and Shaw, J.2012). Despite the evidence given by scientists, that the rhino horn has no medicinal value, those who consume it still believe otherwise. Tradition seems to take presidency over the facts

The annual rate of rhino poaching increases despite the media attention given to the animals and efforts by conservationists like me to try and save the species. Organized criminal syndicates seemingly remain one step ahead of those fighting the rhino war. The gangs are better equipped than people in conservation. Commercial poachers are now using sophisticated ways such as poison, veterinary drugs and high caliber weapons. As anti-poaching and security efforts are improved, so is the level of aggression and sophistication displayed by poachers.

If the current poaching trends, which are at their peak, continue, Africa will lose the rhino species (both black and white) and have some of them going extinct. Citing the case of Zambia where the population of black rhino has being poached to extinction.  The data collected revealed that Zambia is at the moment left with 8 white and 20 black rhinos which were re-introduced.(Source: CASE STUDY on Elephant and rhino poaching in Zambia by Chansa,W).

To solve the problem of rhino poaching all concerned should engage in dialogue. African and Asian rhino owners, Global NGOs and consumers of rhino products must all share one objective: to prevent the extinction of the rhino population in order to ensure the continued success of rhino conservation in Africa. Furthermore, though poaching of the African rhino is still prevalent today, it is necessary to look at previous anti-poaching strategies so that mistakes made in the past are not repeated in the future. 

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