Table 2. White rhino numbers in South Africa on private and state land: 1960-1994 Year Number State Private 1897 50-100 50-100 0 1953 550 550 0 1960 840 840 0? 1972 2480 2380 100 1980 3020 2900 120 1984 3330 3000 330 1987 4126 3346 780 1993 6376 5330 1046+ End
Bop Parks' hunting, which has been based on the original founder stock of 212 animals introduced in the early 1980's, has been conducted at an average yearly rate of about 3%. Figure 1 summarises the history of these animals, discussed more fully below. (Note: 248 rhino were obtained from NPB from 1978-82, but due to the country-wide drought and the poor physical condition of the rhino, 36 died shortly after release).
Out of private-owned animals prior to 1988 (see table 3), hunting rates were ca 10,5% per year however, rhino numbers in private hands were mainly being bought from the much larger pool of Natal Parks Board (NPB) animals at low, fixed prices. In 1989 rhino prices throughout SA reached a realistic market value when NPB, the major suppliers, began to auction their rhino. Since then, hunting rates out of privately owned animals have dropped to approximately 3% per year. Table 4. Average life sale prices since 1986 (xecluding BOP parks and private non-auction sales). Fixed price are those of Natal Parks Board, auction sales are for all South Africa, both private and state. [in Rands] Year Mean fixed price No.of rhino Mean auction price No.of rhino fixed auction 1986 3700 19 10.167 6 1987 4500 26 14.190 10 1988 10.000 3 34.714 14 1989 25.000 24 48.732 41 1990 40.000 30 48.524 42 1991 40.000 48 44.188 32 1992 40.000 61 29.230 64 1993 20.000 50 28.348 56 1994 20.000 60 32.767 30 End
