Game auction a roaring success - by Irene !Hoaës


WINDHOEK – The Ministry of Environment and Tourism had a successful auction, where endangered rhinos and a variety of wild animals worth over N$7 million where auctioned to successful game farmers.

Several rare and endangered species, such as black rhinos and sables, were up for auction here over the weekend.

The country’s successful management of certain species has made sustainable utilisation possible, resulting in a surplus of animals.

Eight black rhinos from the Waterberg Plateau Park and 19 sables both from the Waterberg Plateau Park and the Etosha National Park were auctioned.

Fifty-five disease-free buffaloes from the Waterberg Plateau Park were also up for auction but had to be withdrawn at the last minute after certain unhappy prospective buyers took the ministry to court.

The bone of contention was the fact that the buffaloes are only for export purposes and not for Namibian buyers.

“It is unfortunate that the situation has to come to this but the Ministry of Environment and Tourism considers this as the best option under the circumstances,” the ministry’s Under Secretary, Simoen Negumbo, said at the start of the auction on Friday.

Industry insiders are claiming that an estimated amount of N$20 million had been lost through the withdrawal of the disease-free buffaloes.

The black rhinos we for export only, while the sables were for Namibian buyers only.

The highest amount of money that was paid for one sable was a record N$375 000, which some say it is a record for Namibia, if not in the world.

The sables almost equaled the black rhinos, for which the highest price was N$475 000.

The lowest amount paid for a black rhino at the auction was N$425 000, while the lowest price paid for a sable was N$50 000.

The Director of Research and Community Outreach of the Save the Rhino Trust, Simson !Uri‡Khob, said the prices for the black rhino were good.

There was a moderate demand for the desert-adapted sub-species, as only buyers from the drier Cape area, in South Africa could purchase the species.

Buyers from areas such as Mpumalanga or Gauteng could not buy the rhinos, as they are not suitable for the climate there.

It was Namibia’s seventh wildlife auction.

The black rhino remains under threat. Its horn is still in demand for traditional Chinese medicine, although the demand for rhino horn for dagger handles in the Middle East may have eased.

Rhinos are easy targets for poachers and their horn is easily concealed and smuggled across borders.

Protecting rhinos effectively is very expensive and requires a lot of manpower.
Two countries have shown net increases in numbers of black rhino over the period 1980-2007.

South Africa and Namibia have reportedly increased numbers from estimated 630+300 in 1980 to 1 470 + 1 390, respectively in 2007.

In both countries investments in conservation programmes, including monitoring and law enforcement, have been high.

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The black rhino remains under threat. Its horn is still in demand for traditional Chinese medicine, although the demand for rhino horn for dagger handles in the Middle East may have eased

Yes, the Middle East has discovered something called plastic. Now if we could convince the Chinese there is Viagra.