Poachers in Africa and Asia are killing rhinos at an alarming rate to meet the demand for rhino horns, which are believed to have medicinal value in some countries. According to new research, the level of rhino poaching is about to hit a 15 year high, and is "the worst rhino poaching we have seen in many years."
An estimated two to three rhinos are illegally killed each week in some areas, with the Democratic Repuclic of Congo, South Africa, and Zimbabwe seeing the worst of it. From 2000 to 2005, only about three rhinos were killed each month in Africa, so the increase is a serious threat to the population (estimated at only 18,000 in all of Africa).
Rhino poaching in Asia is also on the rise. At least 10 rhinos have been killed in India since January, and seven in Tibet, out of a total population of about 2400 combined.
The new report, Status, Conservation, and Trade in African and Asian Rhinoceroses (PDF), published by TRAFFIC, WWF, and IUCN, calls the situation "bleak".
The report was presented by the WWF, IUCN, and TRAFFIC to the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Standing Committee this week in Geneva, and suggested that local governments needed "an accurate and up-to-date picture of the status, conservation and trade in African and Asian rhinoceroses … so that firm international action can be taken to arrest this immediate threat to rhinoceros populations worldwide."
Here's what the report's authors said:
Dr. Susan Lieberman, WWF Director of the Species Program:
Rhinos are in a desperate situation
Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC:
Increased demand for rhino horn, alongside a lack of law enforcement, a low level of prosecutions for poachers who are actually arrested and increasingly daring attempts by poachers and thieves to obtain the horn is proving to be too much for rhinos and some populations are seriously declining
Illegal rhino horn trade to destinations in Asia is driving the killing, with growing evidence of involvement of Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai nationals in the illegal procurement and transport of rhino horn out of Africa