http://www.news24.com/SouthAfr...-hunt-rules-20120329

Johannesburg - South Africa may impose new limits on trophy hunts as it combats a devastating surge in rhino poaching, with 150 killed illegally so far this year, the environment ministry said on Thursday.

Big game hunters are allowed to kill a limited number of rhinos every year, with their horns exported as mounted trophies.

But a Thai man was arrested this week and accused of manipulating the system, making bogus trophy hunts to feed the demand for rhino horns in the Asian traditional medicine market.

His was the fourth arrest in an alleged syndicate that hired Thai strippers and prostitutes to pose as hunters and export the horns.

The ministry "will pursue a halt to the issuance of hunting permits to hunters coming from countries that do not have appropriate legislation to monitor whether the trophy is used for the purpose as reflected on the permits", it said in a statement.

The ministry is also in talks with Vietnam's agriculture department on how the countries can work together to address the matter of hunting permits and ways to stop possible abuses.

South Africa has asked Vietnam "if they could conduct inspections and verify that the white rhinoceros trophies exported from South Africa to Vietnam are still in the possession of the hunters", the statement added.

The animals' distinctive horns are hacked off to be smuggled to the lucrative Asian black market, where the fingernail-like substance is falsely believed to have powerful healing properties.


- AFP

Alright, I guess I will be the odd man out on this. If a hunter kills the rhino, who cares what he does with the trophy?

As for myself: I own and possess all of my trophies, but I don't display any of them(currently). Who cares if I burn them, of snort them, or trash them?

If a rhino is "legally" hunted and its horn is ground up into "sausage powder" who cares? Doesn't this ease the pressure on the remaining rhino?????

quote:

If a rhino is "legally" hunted and its horn is ground up into "sausage powder" who cares? Doesn't this ease the pressure on the remaining rhino?????

I agree FULLY. They just need to make sure that they are harvesting Mature animals.

quote:

Originally posted by leopards valley safaris:

quote:

If a rhino is "legally" hunted and its horn is ground up into "sausage powder" who cares? Doesn't this ease the pressure on the remaining rhino?????

I agree FULLY. They just need to make sure that they are harvesting Mature animals.

NO: CITES work exactly over this bases: a animals can be commecialized only for a permitted use. About rhino horns: NO commercial use can be made, only hunting and exportation for personal use, as hunting trophy only, from the hunter itself.

I dont see the rational behind the CITES rule stipulating that it is only for the permit holders private consumption IF the permit and animal is all legal and above board. If it is done to keep track of these trophies, then they should allow them to be sold and transferred legally and they can make some money on the transfer fee! Maybe someone has an explantion.

The demand for rhino horn is NOT going to be switched off.

The more severe the bans, the higher the prices.

The higher the prices, the more efficient and ruthless the poaching.


BREED the friggin' things, so that there is sufficient legal supply to drive the prices down.

Of course, common sense is not an option...

just grind up some hair and sell it as rhino horn

Drill baby drill!