 Reference Base  Rhinoceros in South and South West Africa. Proceedings o... |
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Mundy, P.J., 1984. Rhinoceros in South and South West Africa. Proceedings of a Workshop held at Pilanesberg Game Reserve, Bophuthatswana, 15 and 16 February 1984. Johannesburg, Endangered Wildlife Trust, pp. 1-25
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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - South Africa |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Poaching |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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Natal: The more intensively we control, the fewer problems we have. There has been only one serious poaching problem, in 1981, when two black and two white rhinos were poached.There is much anti-poaching activity in Natal generally, and very little trade in rhino products. One patrol a day in 45 sq km, or among 80 - 90 rhinos in Hluhluwe-Umfoloze. Obviously there is much natural mortality, and one must know what's being lost in a reserve. The horns are colect ed and transferred to head office in Pietermaritzburg. Black rhinos are specially protected game and can be shot only by a department officer. The present penalties are considered inadequate.
Kruger National Park: Good security, and no rhino has been poached. The only porblem is - how does the Kruger NP get more rhinos?
Pilanesberg: No problems. All the necessary CITES permits come from the Transvaal Nature Conservation Division, as Bophuthatswana is not empowered to give these documents. One instance of theft of horns,otherwise effective control of the rhino populations.
Transvaal Province: House is in order, and we kyiow of no poaching. We need cooperation with the various independent homelands within the province, as we don't know who governs import and export into them. It is certainly risky for the Transvaal Nature Conservation Division to stamp a homeland document - CITES states that consignments `in transit' and under customs control cannot be touched.
If a South West African rhino is poached (where the fine is up to R6000) but the horn is detected in Transvaal (where the fine is R1000), the case may go to court in either country. This seems unfair to South West Africa, and besides R1000 is surely an insufficient fine for a poached rhino. Unfortunately, trading in products gets heavier penalties in South West Africa than does poaching in the first place, but surely most trade in rhino products ends up in the Transvaal? These anomalies need to be cured.
At present there is a good liaison between the Transvaal Nature Conservation Division and the Natal Parks Board, over the distribution of rhinos. Indeed, the Transvaal Nature Conservation Division hopes to introduce black rhinos into the northern and western Transvaal.
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