The World Wildlife Fund expressed heated concerns on South Africa's decision to legalize domestic sales of rhinoceros horn. The organization insists that while creating a legal source of supply is expected to reduce poaching, the demands would likely increase to a global scale further invoking poachers and risking rhinos more.
The political battle on this controversial strategy to save rhinos continues to date involving rhino owners versus conservationists. On the affirmative side of the legalization of rhino horn sale are a group of private rhino owners who argue that commerce in horns that are farmed is a win-win situation.
As per LA Times, horns grow like fingernails but in a slower pace that can take up to seven years where then harvest will be made. It's a guaranteed safe process as horn removal has already become a strategy in national parks to make rhinos unattractive to poachers thus protecting them. The horns removed are just stockpiled since it's illegal to sell. To this, proponents of the trade argue that horn farming can rightfully feed the demand thus cutting off poachers on wild rhino populations. Moreover, the legal sales of the horns could purportedly help fund protection efforts.
To this, conservationists fired back that farming rhinos will not assure the disappearance of poachers as it would be difficult to distinguish illegal horns from legal ones. Additionally, there is no demand for horns in the country which means to say horn sale is most likely targeted at global market. Thus the domestic law on rhino horn farming is bound to clash against international laws.
As noted by Wall Street Journal, rhinos are protected globally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. They are also covered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act which makes it illegal to import or export rhinos and the animal's parts hence interstate commerce is also unlawful.
As pointed out by an emailed statement of WWF, unless the government speculates that international trade will be legalized, selling of rhino horns is a criminal act.
The South African government has reportedly set up a committee to report on rhino horn farming and trade. During the next CITES meeting scheduled this fall in South Africa, the debate on this bill is likely to be reopened.
