Rhino horn more expensive than gold


Durban - Senior managers of the Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe Park on Tuesday discussed strategies to curb rhino poaching, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife said.

It was recently reported that the price of rhino horn had increased to R400 000 a kilogram, making it more expensive than gold at R300 000 a kilogram.

"Staff from the Kruger Park flew into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park [to] exchange information on rhino security and anti-poaching strategies," said Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife spokesperson Jeff Gaisford.

A series of meetings were also attended by SA National Parks senior general manager of investigations and intelligence Ken Maggs and Ezemvelo CEO Dr Bandile Mkhize.

The discussions included the national rhino conservation strategy, said Gaisford.

He said the sharing of information about rhino security enabled participating agencies to benefit from the unique experiences of other organisations.

A total of 333 rhinos were killed and dehorned countrywide in 2010 and 162 people linked to poaching were arrested.

The highest incidence of poaching was in the Kruger National Park where 146 rhinos were killed. The North West followed with 57 rhino deaths, and Limpopo closely behind with 52. KwaZulu-Natal was at the bottom of the list with only 38 reported rhino killings last year.

- SAPA

While at SCI in Reno I spoke with two people with an interest in reducing the poaching. The first was a well know PH. He favors farming black rhino and harvesting the horn for sale. It can be done without injury to the animal. If done on any reasonable scale it would, in my opinion soon push the price down to something like 1/5th to 1/10th of the current black market price, perhaps lower.

I then had the opportunity to speak with an agent from a Southern African country's wildlife authority. I presented this idea to him. His response was that the poaching would continue nevertheless because it would still be an irresistable opportunity for wealth from poor black Africans.

It seemed to me that the officer did not have a clear concept of basic enoconomic principles. Legal sale of horn would provide more funds for antipoaching enforcement, increasing the probability of prison. Reduced reward, increased risk.

Most things in life are difficult to predict, but not how a person will act in his own self interest. How say you?

This was discussed at length on AR earlier. It's possible that countries with rhinos already have enough seized and picked up horn in warehouses to flood the market and cause prices to drop overnight.

Bill Quimby

Hi guys.

The guy farming with rhinos have a good point it can work.

The guy from wildlife authority have good point too remember the guy thats killing a rhino gets about $3000 dollar a year so even if he get only a $1000 dollar per horn its worthwhile for him where he gets now about $5000 to $8000 per horn.

The guy that farms it have the risk and its a real risk that the organize poachers will come to his place kill him and all his rhinos thats a fact people get killed daily in SA for a cellphone or R100.

Our problem is to get a solution help us but look like the organized mafia is ahead of us.

Luan

I don't think the animals are (in the long term) safe anywhere in Africa and would be inclined to move at least some of the animals overseas where they'll be safer and separate breeding programmes can be set up.

funding that and finding appropriate locations are of course entirely separate challenges and neither will be easy.

Steve - I would be glad to "foster home" a Rhino if someone can get it to me. Please include a down coat for it as it was -23F degrees below zero this AM.

Steve, really your idea has lots of merit and should probably be undertaken. It's getting some group/s to front up the dollars to make it happen that would be a problem as you mentioned.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I don't think the animals are (in the long term) safe anywhere in Africa and would be inclined to move at least some of the animals overseas where they'll be safer and separate breeding programmes can be set up.

funding that and finding appropriate locations are of course entirely separate challenges and neither will be easy.

Larry,

Here is your answer.

SCI should have given him the boot for his involvement with Out of Africa.

Of course, SCI "ethics" are a bit different than mine.

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Larry,

Hey, we agree... how about that!

As I see it, there's two ways to do it.

The less expensive way is to use the genetic material to clone them in the US and start several breeding prigrammes in some very secure areas in the USA or elsewhere beyond African borders.... BUT that won't help save the African populations.

I'd REALLY like to see the African populations stay in Africa but ONLY if they were safe here and as I see it, all the while there's rhinos AND a large, poor, uneducated population in Africa then there's always going to be a queue of those people lining up to shoot them if they know they can earn enough to feed their families for the thick end of a year. - It's unfortunate and inconvenient but that's the truth of the matter.

Therefore as I see it, the only viable, long term option is to move as many of them out of Africa as possible and let's not forget that there are poor people all over the world so even if they were moved, security would still have to be maintained....... but at least it'd be easier and the risks lower, if the animals were somewhere other than Africa.

Now all we've got to do is find a way to pay for such a massive undertaking.

BTW...anybody watch "Bones" last night???

She was investigating a homicide in the U.S. They found some unusual fragments in the corpse. The corpse was an oriental woman that still used "traditional eastern medicine". Turns out that the fragments were rhino horn.

Just an example of how far reaching that rhino poaching in ingrained into the world. Writers don't just come up with story lines out of the clear blue.

Let me ask an ignorant question.

Can a legally harvested rhino horn be legally sold?

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Let me ask an ignorant question.

Can a legally harvested rhino horn be legally sold?

Good question Larry.

My ignorant answer is I think it is in the US anyway.

Maybe Safarilawyer or Kpete or the like will enlighten us.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Let me ask an ignorant question.

Can a legally harvested rhino horn be legally sold?

Not if it was taken post ban.

If it can be proved it was taken pre ban, it gets a bit more complicated and as I understand it, a lot will depend on what country the horn is in and if it would have to cross borders or not.

I for one would never go near such a deal...... which is a pity really because I know several people who own pre ban horn who would be prepared to sell if it were legal to do so.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Larry,

Hey, we agree... how about that!

As I see it, there's two ways to do it.

The less expensive way is to use the genetic material to clone them in the US and start several breeding prigrammes in some very secure areas in the USA or elsewhere beyond African borders.... BUT that won't help save the African populations.

I'd REALLY like to see the African populations stay in Africa but ONLY if they were safe here and as I see it, all the while there's rhinos AND a large, poor, uneducated population in Africa then there's always going to be a queue of those people lining up to shoot them if they know they can earn enough to feed their families for the thick end of a year. - It's unfortunate and inconvenient but that's the truth of the matter.

Therefore as I see it, the only viable, long term option is to move as many of them out of Africa as possible and let's not forget that there are poor people all over the world so even if they were moved, security would still have to be maintained....... but at least it'd be easier and the risks lower, if the animals were somewhere other than Africa.

Now all we've got to do is find a way to pay for such a massive undertaking.

Steve, I have long thought that the brush country of South Texas might be perfect for Rhino. and its mostly in hunters hands now already. I would be shocked if there wasnt alot of interest in Rhino preservation . Dsc and here on AR woulod be good starting points.

SSR

I'm only a layman and probably know less than diddley about it but I also wondered about Texas although I wonder if their winters might be too cold?

I reckon you'd need to raise finance from a variety of sources but it'd help dramatically if one could get an airline to offer discounted animal freight rates and maybe a car company such as Suzuki (because of their rhino connection) to participate, it'd be a big help.

You'd also have to consider costs of identifying suitable areas and conducting zoological surveys first, just to check the areas can support the species, has suitable food & water sources and nothing such as dodgy plants that might be a problem and the cost of that alone would be considerable.

To say nothing of convincing owners & game depts to part with their animals....... and that might be the biggest challenge of all.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I'm only a layman and probably know less than diddley about it but I also wondered about Texas although I wonder if their winters might be too cold?

I reckon you'd need to raise finance from a variety of sources but it'd help dramatically if one could get an airline to offer discounted animal freight rates and maybe a car company such as Suzuki (because of their rhino connection) to participate, it'd be a big help.

You'd also have to consider costs of identifying suitable areas and conducting zoological surveys first, just to check the areas can support the species, has suitable food & water sources and nothing such as dodgy plants that might be a problem and the cost of that alone would be considerable.

To say nothing of convincing owners & game depts to part with their animals....... and that might be the biggest challenge of all.

They do just fine in South Texas.

Already a few there.

Cross L...lets start a rhino ranch!

I dont know anything about rhino, so please excuse me if these are dumb questions:

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take a rhino to grow a horn of harvestable length?

If you lop off his existing horn, how long would it take to grow another of harvestable length back, if they grow back at all?

Thanks!

Adam

Has anybody on the forum ever ingested rhino horn?

Were the effects of any value?

In other words, did "Mr Floppy" get excited?

You should have watched "BONES" night on TV!

ledvm

I'm up for starting a rhino ranch.

Steve, we can let the interested groups in Africa maintain owenership, we might run them on shares and split the offspring.

Lane wheres the info on AI in Rhino, gotta be done somewhere.

SSR

I'll investigate!

Remind me, why do the Easterners need rhino horn?

They obviously haven't met any of the three amigos:



My patients are fond of the "weekend warrior" pill, as some affectionately know it by.

Time to drop your chop sticks and catch up to knife and fork technology.

quote:

Time to drop your chop sticks and catch up to knife and fork technology.

Hey, you Texicans cain't have aller the fun! We need sum of 'em rhinos over here in Jawjuh too.

Alan

Hows your supply of Wesatch and Mesquite? Rhinos gotta have thornbrush ya know.


The more the merrier on a deal like this-gonna be enough headaches and expense for everyone-

SSR

Cross,

Wesatch and Mesquite are fairly light on the ground around these parts, but we have plenty of kudzu and brier patches if the rhinos can cut us a break on the rider to their contract .

Headaches and expense sound like some really compelling selling points!

quote:

Originally posted by adamhunter:
I dont know anything about rhino, so please excuse me if these are dumb questions:

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take a rhino to grow a horn of harvestable length?

If you lop off his existing horn, how long would it take to grow another of harvestable length back, if they grow back at all?

Thanks!

Adam

From a worlds leading expert:

For rough calculations work on 6 cm per year for front horn regrowth and about 2.5 cm per year for rear horns. The horns of younger rhinos regrow quicker - about 8 cm/yr for front and 4 cm/yr for rear. Average front horn length for black rhino can be taken as 44 cm and white rhino as 58 cm. Front horns are generally dehorned about 7cm above the base.