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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Zimbabwe |
| Subject: |
Value - Related to Horn |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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I captured, moved and re-established some 140 black rhino in Zimbabwe during 24 years in that country's National Park service. My university thesis was on the black rhino. And in 1987 I acted as a consultant to a British film company in Zambia during the filming of a documentary on rhino poaching in that country. I spoke to captured poachers and game department officials in Zambia. I also know Dr Esmond Bradley Martin, the IUCNs expert on rhino horn trade.
I fall to understand why prominent conservationis such as Dr John Ledger and Mr Clive Walker continue to quote the retail prices of rhino horn (up to $900 a kilogram) when they know that these prices are not available to the poachers. Furthermore, in Zambia the poachers do not run around in four wheel drives but on their bare feet.
Poverty, and not greed, is the principal motivating factor behind Central Africa's rhino and elephant poaching, coupled with a lethargic law enforcement effort and the involvement of corrupt government officals at a high level. In Zambia a pair of rhino horns can be pur- chased for as little as R50 to R60 from poachers in the field. To them this represents two month's salary, and this is a lot especially when there is little chance of their finding jobs in this area. The middleman, of course, will make about a 9000 percent profit. But the poachers are not being coerced into killing rhino and elephant, they do so in order to survive.
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Rhino-horn facts twisted
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