Cites boss expected next month

Herald Reporter
January 16, 2010

The secretary-general of the Convention of the International Trade in Endangered Species Mr William Wijnstekers will visit Zimbabwe next month to discuss ways of reducing poaching of rhinos in the country.

Poachers have killed most of Zimbabwe’s rhino and are now targeting those under speial protection in game sanctuaries.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Dr Morris Mutsambiwa told the Herald in an interview yesterday that the Cites secretary-general would meet senior Government officials.

“The major purpose of the secretary-general’s visit who is coming on February 10 is for him to discuss with the Government how Cites can assist the country curb rhino poaching. This is because the species is highly endangered globally due to rampant poaching of rhinos across the world.

“The continued poaching of rhinos has necessitated the mother body to stop the selling of rhino horns worldwide to reduce the endangerment of the species,” he said.

Dr Mutsambiwa said so far Cites was only allowing selling of ivory and the last approved sell was done by Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa.

He said the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority was intensifying efforts to curb poaching of all endangered species.

Dr Mutsambiwa said over the past three years, the country lost more than 300 rhinos due to rampant poaching of the species.

There has been an upsurge in the poaching of endangered species such as the rhino targeted for its horn that is exported mainly to Asian countries where it is in huge demand. International syndicates working with local groups are said to be behind rhino poaching.

Meanwhile, a Masvingo man has been sentenced to 28 years in jail for poaching a rhino at Matendere Range in Masvingo.

The sentence comes barely a week after another Masvingo man Tendai Mutyairi was slapped with a 17-year jail term for poaching a rhino at the same range.

The deterrent poaching penalties are meant to reduce the number of poachers and also work, as a warning to would be offenders, parks officials have said.

quote:

The secretary-general of the Convention of the International Trade in Endangered Species Mr William Wijnstekers will visit Zimbabwe next month to discuss ways of reducing poaching of rhinos in the country.

Maybe he should visit the places that create the demand for rhino horn.

Not that more money for anti-poaching and more enforecement and punishment could hurt, but if the demand went away...