Regulations to close rhino hunt loopholes
by Katharine Child,
2016-01-14 05:51:19.0
THE Department of Environmental Affairs has drafted new regulations to strengthen control over the sale of live rhino, trophy hunting and stockpiling of rhino horn.
Rhino hunting is legal if a trophy hunter obtains a permit, but the proposed rules will require an environmental management official to be present at rhino hunts.
The regulations were gazetted on Tuesday and are open for public comment for 30 days.
The new regulations also suggest that: a hunter only be allowed to hunt one rhino a year; all rhino deaths, natural or otherwise, have to be reported on time; and all rhino that are to be sold or moved must have three microchips.
David Newton, the head of the South African branch of Traffic, said: "It appears (the) regulations are to tighten control over rhino horn and ease prosecution if loopholes are exploited by poachers."
Pelham Jones, chairman of the Private Rhino Owners Association, said: "Allowing one hunt probably follows exploitation of the system by poachers pretending to be hunters."
In 2012, Asian prostitutes pretending to be hunters shot rhino to poach their horn.
Mr Jones said the government had tightened hunting laws. "It is difficult to hunt rhino. Now you have to belong to an international trophy-hunting organisation."
Owners were micro-chipping rhino to stop poaching, he said.
The sale of horn remains illegal, according to the proposal.
Picture: THINKSTOCK
THE Department of Environmental Affairs has drafted new regulations to strengthen control over the sale of live rhino, trophy hunting and stockpiling of rhino horn.
Rhino hunting is legal if a trophy hunter obtains a permit, but the proposed rules will require an environmental management official to be present at rhino hunts.
The regulations were gazetted on Tuesday and are open for public comment for 30 days.
The new regulations also suggest that: a hunter only be allowed to hunt one rhino a year; all rhino deaths, natural or otherwise, have to be reported on time; and all rhino that are to be sold or moved must have three microchips.
David Newton, the head of the South African branch of Traffic, said: "It appears (the) regulations are to tighten control over rhino horn and ease prosecution if loopholes are exploited by poachers."
Pelham Jones, chairman of the Private Rhino Owners Association, said: "Allowing one hunt probably follows exploitation of the system by poachers pretending to be hunters."
In 2012, Asian prostitutes pretending to be hunters shot rhino to poach their horn.
Mr Jones said the government had tightened hunting laws. "It is difficult to hunt rhino. Now you have to belong to an international trophy-hunting organisation."
Owners were micro-chipping rhino to stop poaching, he said.
The sale of horn remains illegal, according to the proposal.
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