Rhino Club’s Weblog

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Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s (Ezemvelo) call for tender to hunt white rhino in the Umkhuze Controlled Hunting Area is an annual white rhino removal programme which forms part of the bigger strategy that Ezemvelo uses to remove animals considered “excess surplus.” Other strategies used include auctioning of the animals and donation mainly to Community Conservation Areas to name just a few.

The annual white rhino removals programme has been taking place for the past 50 years. The average number of white rhinos removed from the State Protected Areas is 80 per annum. These animals are removed for ecological reasons to safeguard their habitat and are translocated throughout Southern Africa, sold and in some instances hunted through strict codes of ethics.

The down-listing of rhino from Appendix 1 to Appendix 2 was approved by the CITES Conference of Parties (COP 9) in Fort Lauderdale (USA) in 1994.The numbers of white rhino legally hunted in South Africa since the down-listing has varied, but averages about 70 animals per year. The white rhino hunt at Makhasa is clearly not a hunt in isolation.

It is important to note that the rhino removal programme is done in accordance with the principles as prescribed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and follows implicitly the rules laid down for the hunting of white rhino in terms of the CITES Convention down-listing conditions for the legal hunting (export of trophies) and international trade of white rhino. Ezemvelo also conforms to all Acts and Regulations prescribed and promulgated by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

Ezemvelo’s CEO, Dr Bandile Mkhize, said: “Our organisation will not neglect its duties in upholding the principles of good governance and, in the case of rhino, we are acutely aware of the biological and security requirements to ensure its survival as a species for future generations; the decision to remove this animal was based on sound ecological, demographic and genetic wildlife management grounds. We feel more than justified that we have followed defendable principles and protocols.”

He further stated that “the removal of a small number of individually identified rhino males actually enhances overall meta-population growth rates and furthers genetic conservation. As a spin-off, the hunting of such animals generates substantial revenue and helps provide much-needed additional funding to support effective conservation management programmes, as well as providing incentives for rhino-specific conservation.”

Ezemvelo is also co-managing the Makhasa Community Conservation Area in partnership with the KwaMduku Community where revenue sources are a critical component of their operation in maintaining their community-owned reserves’ viability.

Ezemvelo will continue to  facilitate, promote and ensure that community-based wildlife and tourism programmes and projects are afforded a priority focus to demonstrate the relevance of wildlife and ecotourism as a viable land use operation wherever appropriate and feasible.

It must be further stated that the annual rhino removal figures are subject to a robust internal review process that adheres to sound ecological principles and is focused on maintaining healthy populations of rhino as a primary objective within the Protected Areas of the Province.

Some of the guiding principles are to

• ·         ensure that the primary focus of any rhino male hunting remains the enhancement of biological management of breeding populations; and therefore hunting applications should be based primarily on the conservation and wildlife management grounds;
• ·         ensure that any off-takes are biologically sustainable;
• ·          based on good monitoring;
• ·          ensure that incentives from any hunting opportunities are maximised;
• ·          not to discriminate between state agencies, communities and the private sector;
• ·         encourage good biological management to meet demographic and genetic goals;
• ·         promote and enhance long-term commitments to rhino conservation and ensure that appropriate internal and external controls are in place.

Dr Mkhize further emphasised that Ezemvelo is extremely concerned with the current spate of rhino poaching in the country and have implemented additional security interventions to protect the rhino. Through the Rhino Security Intervention Plan, Ezemvelo has managed to reduce the number of rhino poached this year in its Protected Areas to 34.

W/P Media Release No. 28 Ezemvelo gives back to the community