Rhino sales are 'scientific'
2009-07-15 22:23


Johannesburg - SANParks' decision to sell white rhino is scientifically determined and does not endanger their population growth, the organisation said on Wednesday.

"South African rhino populations are not endangered and can be sold or exchanged," SANParks chief executive David Mabunda said in a statement.

"However South Africa has made a conscious decision not to allow trophy hunting in national parks."

He was responding to a press release issued by Animal Rights Africa (ARA) on Tuesday in which it said it was "appalled" at the news SANParks was selling rhino and other animals from the Kruger National Park.

The organisation's spokesperson Michele Pickover also alleged SANParks was "allowing hunters to kill Kruger animals by actively promoting and allowing hunting along Kruger's ever-increasing porous borders".

'Failed management policies'


She said SANParks was displaying "failed management policies" and that her organisation was working on an "explosive investigate (sic) report" entitled "Under Siege: Rhinos in South Africa".

Pickover said ARA wanted the minister of water and environment affairs to impose a moratorium on the capture, sale, translocation and hunting of rhino in the country, as well as launch an investigation into SANParks' management of rhino sales.

On Wednesday Mabunda said SANParks would not suspend the sale of excess rhino as long as national legislation and policies permitted this.

"SANParks will continue to sell and distribute these animals in accordance with our management strategies."

It would be "fool-hardy" for the country to keep its rhino population only in the Kruger National Park.

"We run the danger of losing them should there be a major outbreak of disease or rampant poaching. We would be sitting ducks."

Mabunda said SANParks did not have anything against hunting or hunters "as long as they do not hunt within a national park... We will not allow SANParks to be abused by the anti-hunting lobby".

He said the organisation only dealt with "ethical operators".

"If we should learn otherwise, SANParks makes the decision not to continue doing business with them."

Mabunda said SANParks was willing to go to court over the matter.

"We are confident that we have correctly interpreted national and international legislation and have stayed true to our principles and ethics."

Mabunda said according to 2007 statistics there were approximately 17 000 rhino in the world, with approximately 15 000 of those in South Africa.

At present SANParks has between 9000 and 12 000 rhino.


- SAPA