Conservation - Rhino Horn and Ivory: a sensitive issue

[Matias]

Importance of private and communal lands to sustainable conservation of Africa's rhinoceroses

Quote:Abstract

A new path for rhinoceros (rhino) conservation is needed. Recent data signal the alarming impact of poaching on populations in Africa's rhino stronghold, the state-run Kruger National Park (South Africa), which today supports one quarter the rhinos than a decade ago. We aggregated African rhino population data, highlighting the growing role of private and community rhino custodians, who likely now conserve >50% of Africa's rhinos. Their contribution has been enabled by a supportive policy and economic environment, but this arrangement is becoming more difficult to sustain as costs associated with protecting rhinos skyrocket and revenue-generating options become insufficient. Some privately held rhino populations are small or intensively managed, raising questions about their conservation value. As the role of private and community custodianship becomes increasingly central to the protection of Africa's remaining rhinos, its resilience must be strengthened through implementation of adaptive policies that incentivize rhino conservation. We outline policy pathways to provide an enabling environment for rhino conservation beyond state parks.

An unmissable read.


For those who want to know a little of my opinion, read below:

The Article is a source with reliable and well-written information, and it is up to those interested to score higher on the topic addressed here, which deals with “touching” the toolbox that aims, in the long term, to maintain the sustainable economy of all the Custodians directly involved in its conservation. Combating poaching is a predictor of reaction to an aspect of the problem, important but unable to change your motivational situation. For many NGOs, the focus on combating poaching is what allows the continuous exploration of the theme, and the deepening of the crisis makes their agendas strong, with a continuous financial flow. Save, exceptions, by half a dozen NGOs that step firmly on the African landscape in the search for a sustainable policy for the complex rhino issue.

With the worryingly low numbers of rhinos in the Kruger National Park, it is telling to see that Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is now a profitable option for poaching (high density and good numbers). A phenomenon that in 2022 in KwaZulu Natal (in the first 6 months of the year alone there were more than 100 victims, surpassing 2020 with 93 victims and 2021 with 102) has firmly demonstrated that poaching has migrated to this province. Once their numbers become reduced – if this dynamic continues for the next few years – to the point of affecting the logistics of criminal activity, private and community areas will be the next target. Faced with this evidence, there is a need to face the problem by maximizing direct economic measures that effectively reduce costs and increase revenues for these Custodians/Guardians, when facing important practical issues (which are inherent to conservation), essencialy political and also ethical. 

While the most conduction action is armed protection and investments in high protective technology, aspects such as intensive management (by the private sector) necessarily become hegemonic and, consequently, negatively impact its strategic use as for relocation/reintroduction/introduction projects (domesticated, not suitable for rewilding). What needs to change, quickly, is the size of the financial burden on those who want to conserve and invest in these iconic animals.

People are the key to changes and as the collective point of view dominates the themes and pragmatic actions within the international movement that sometimes directs resources to local projects, and often not – there is a lot of propaganda and staging movement. The extent to which ordinary people are willing to set aside their preferences and donate toprojects in countries looking for more flexible, direct, stronger economic mechanisms? Reply