 |
| WWF: black rhino mom & her calf |
WWF tells us that one bright spot in the otherwise dark future of the southern African rhinocerous is in KwaZulu-Natal, a homeland province surrounded by South Africa. South Africa is the home of 90% of extant white rhinos and 40% of black rhinos, but 1,215 animals were poached in 2014 alone, the highest number in a decade. In stark contrast, KwaZulu-Natal has experience a rhino baby boom. It now has 500 rhinos, up from 411 in 2004. A relocation initiative started by the world conservation organization has allowed a stable population to expand. Nine new black rhino populations have been established, and only five adults have been lost to poaching. The protection has given the rhinos a chance to produce 70 new calves. Once again, science proves all creatures respond to proper stewardship.
Last Wednesday the presidents of Republic of Congo and Chad set fire to five tons of confiscated ivory using illegally harvested timber as fuel. The Congo's minister of forestry called the confiscated ivory a "dirty product" and that the liquidation was necessary to "draw a line". That line can be drawn, but only if market states like the US and China put an end to the sale of ivory in any form. Only certified antique
objets d'arts should be exception to the no sale rule, and only then if the ivory objects have proper provenance certified by experts. Higher demand for ivory is motivating poachers across the continent. In 1980 Africa held 1 million elephants, now that number is down to 450,000 according to Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou N'Guesso.