Brooks, M., 1995. Chairman's report: African Rhino Specialist Group. Pachyderm 19: 4-5
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Trade |
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All Rhino Species |
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AfRSG report. The Scientific officer and Tom Foose, who represented the AFRSG at COP9 as part of IUCN's delegation, contributed to a number of debates on rhinoceros issues. In presenting their proposal to downlist the Southern white Rhino from Appendix I to II, the South African delegation stressed that they had no intention of initiating trade in rhino horn under their proposal. The AfRSG's representatives pointed out that the South African population of white rhino qualified for downlisting to Appendix II under the Berne criteria, and that CITES should encourage self-reliance in Parties, noting that the proposal could provide financial and conservation benefits for South African rhinos.
The annotated South African proposal for 'Transfer of the South African populations of southern white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum from Appendix I to Appendix II for sale of live animals to appropriate and acceptable destimations, and hunting trophies only, was approved by 66 votes to 2 with strong range state support. This downlisting is valid until the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties when it will be reviewed.
The AfRSG was requested to introduce the draft resolution on 'Conservation of rhinoceros in Asia and Africa which it had prepared at the request of the CITES Standing Committee. The basic premise the resolution was that current conservation measures including some of the CITES provisions, have not succeeded in arresting or reversing the decline in rhino numbers. The resolution proposed that all conservation mmures be evaluated; and that adaptive management be instituted based on such evaluations. The resolution advocated that a full range of options be considered md that opportunities to use those options had to be tept open. Ale need to expand funding sources to wspond to substantial needs was articulated with a pfficular emphasis on sustainability and self-reliance within range states. WWF reported that provisional findings of a cost:benefit study on rhinoceros conservation indicated that the total budget allocated to in-situ conservation was the best predictor of rhino conservation success. The AFRSG pointed out that it had been estimated that to successfully manage and protect rhino sanctuary populations could cost as much as US$ 1,000 to $1,200/ km? /year.
The resolution was passed with minor modifications. Most importantly Resolution Conf 3.11 and 6.10 were repealed. The latter had called on parties to destroy horn stocks. The Group argued that this was no longer considered appropriate, and that burning horn stockpiles would in all probability lead to accelerated depletion of wild populations by increasing horn values on the illegal market and hence poaching pressure.
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Chairman's report: African Rhino Specialist Group
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