PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS 26 TH JANUARY 2012

PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO

COMMITTEE ON WATER AND

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

26TH JANUARY 2012A WWF PRESENTATION

BY DR. JOSEPH OKORI

(African Rhino Programme Manager)

WWF congratulates the government of South Africa on efforts in dealing with the escalating poaching pressure and illegal trade currently facing the country.

WWF recognizes past achievements - bringing back white rhino from the brink of extinction.

WWF hopes that the gains and global contribution South Africa has played over the century shall be remembered during this time of rhino poaching crisis and with this knowledge remain sincere and objective in up-holding its great name as a leader in rhino conservation.

WWF recognizes the present poaching taking place in Africa and the escalating numbers poached in South Africa since 2008, as alarming and an unhealthy trend for an endangered species. More rhinos than ever were poached in 2011.

WWF are concerned by the apparent failure to:• curb poaching and rhino horn losses to illegal markets• create effective deterrents to halt the activities of the syndicates that propagate such crimes against nature• address weaknesses in internal conservation trade controls and regulatory systems in what was once a vibrant rhino sector

THE IMPACT OF RHINO POACHING

Rhino poaching in South Africa threatens;

Rhino viability concerns in the near future with the potential threat of a possible decline.

Livelihoods and community based economic activities reliant on rhinos for tourism.

Decline in National income from hunting, local trade and legal utilisation.

Habitat loss for rhinos due to private owners selling because of heightened risks.

International reputational risk for South Africa.

1. The strength and weaknesses of the current initiatives to address the problem;

a. Strength of current initiativesI. Government support and provision of an enabling

environment for: - Targeted interventions - Researched Opportunities - Public campaigns and Open discussions

II. A number of initiatives have taken-off that have sensitized;- Local and international communities. - Various levels of Government- And raised the rhino profile globally

a. Weakness of current initiativesI. Inadequate strategic planning between local NGO’s /

campaign groups via government driven initiatives.

II. Ineffective capitalization of community and public awareness gains made through campaign drives.

III.No strong political drive (despite a number of initiatives) with implicated rhino consumer countries to address the root cause and take decisive action on those driving the illegal rhino poaching and trade in rhino horn.

IV. In relation to (III) above, investment has been skewed towards security and protection of critical populations. There is also a need to grow rhino numbers to buffer overall losses including natural and legal off-takes.

V. Limited legal control and enforcement leading to weak prosecution performance with resultant insufficient deterrents to rhino crimes.

VI. Lack of an adequate integrated approach and coordination of relevant key organs of state in closing all avenues that may present loop holes for the operations of the criminal syndicates propagating the rhino poaching and illegal rhino horn trade. Information sharing, investigations and coordinated actions are required to strengthen the prosecution efforts and create stronger deterrents.

VII. The South Africa NPA is vibrant but young in terms of handling new emerging wildlife crime.

Cross Cutting Linkages: Integrated Coordination

2. The efficacy of current environmental governance structures to address the problem;

The current South African governance structure is recognized as one of the best in Africa and provides the appropriate enabling base for effective and efficient functionality to stop poaching.

However, a system is only as good as the components that actually drive it - in this case the human resource element needs to be addressed.

3. Whether South Africa has the requisite combination of expertise, sufficient and sustained financial capacity, and well-performing institutional and regulatory mechanisms to maintain an effective and balanced intervention to rhino poaching;

South Africa stands out, even against other rhino range states as having a wealth of experienced conservationists, law enforcement agents and local technical capacity;

more uniquely, South Africa is the only Africa country with a complex multi-pronged rhino management system (private, provincial, state and community).

Historically, South Africa has successfully:

• brought rhinos back from the brink of extinction• seen white rhino populations grow from approximately

20-50 to over 18,000 in 100 years.• supported a well controlled and regulated local rhino

trade and trophy hunting • been a big contributor to incentivizing rhino production in South Africa.

The question is what has changed since 2008 and what is the most appropriate response?

4. Recommendations to address specific challenges and responses of the present regime pertinent to the practitioner, regulator and policy-maker.

Short Term Initiatives:

A.Galvanizing International Support for Change:

Strong diplomatic political drive is required by government of South Africa to address the illegal trade, impact of rhino poaching and implications for the survival of the species with implicated and transit states directly and through international bodies supported by appropriate conventions and agreements.

This would involve:I. Special appeals by South Africa to have Interpol

raise rhino crimes to a higher priority level to clamp down on the international syndicate operations network globally.

II. Bilateral dialogue and up-scaling of current efforts with implicated and transit states on illegal rhino trade, trade chain disruption, respecting medicinal bans, implementation of appropriate legislation and strategically targeted campaigns or initiatives in implicated and transit states.

III. There is need to address international law enforcement initiatives to ensure compliance to trade standard.

IV. Demand national and international legislation that would exclude rhino horn products in any manufactured or doctor-to-patient medicine mixes, this takes into cognition that in some Asian countries it has been illegal since 1993.

V. Immediate up-scaling and tightening of law enforcement, strategic, pro-active deployments and strengthening forensic evidence efforts.

VI. A South Africa led initiative, on behalf of all African rhino range states, producing a joint action statement such as joint communiqué to both implicated and transit states on the current rhino crisis.

VII. Training and capacity building of human resource sector; investment in South African Wildlife College.

Medium Term InitiativesB. Private Sector re-structuring: The sector has contributed immensely to the survival and growth of the rhino in South Africa. However, we recognise that :• Significant governance issues exist within the sector• Lack of transparency and accountability by a few mis-guided elements.• Fragmentation within the sector caused a breakdown in self-regulation and control over rhino management.

Recommendations:•Governance, database management and regulatory functions placed under a Board of landowners, government and relevant conservation bodies •Strengthened community participatory engagement with private sector promoted as a longer term conservation measure.

C. Centrally Regulated Rhino Management:

• A National rhino co-ordination officer, to provide adequate compliance and functionality of rhino issues.

• A greater degree of co-operation between provincial and national wildlife management and regulatory authorities across South Africa.

• National electronic permitting and integrated database for all rhino activities in South Africa

• Constitutional issues need to be addressed with regards to provincial Nature Conservation legislature.

D. Research into legalization of rhino horn trade: Legal rhino horn trade is seen by some as a “silver bullet” to solve the present crisis. We need a better understanding of unforeseen risks and worst-case scenarios for global rhino populations.

Recommendations:•Recapitalization, providing new or additional incentives to the rhino sector. •Policy adjustments made in the sector would serve a more sustainable way forward. •Outcomes from studies that have been proposed to look at drivers of the rhino horn market•Assess ways of shutting down the illegal trade, dispelling associated myths •Understanding the consequences, both in the short and long term of a possible legal rhino horn trade.

E. Strengthening of the Judicial System: South Africa has one of the most comprehensive

wildlife legislations in Africa and a judicial system that is internationally recognized as being astute. The National Prosecution Authority is an able but young force that faces a new emerging wildlife crime situation and challenges.

Recommendations:• Greater resourcing - increased capacity, including

financial facilitation, training and international exposure is considered to boost knowledge and performance potential for desirable end results.

• Need for awareness and training initiatives with judiciary in other producer and transit countries too.

• This in no way should ignore the role magistrates play and their need for team building initiatives.

Long term InitiativesF. International collaborative Initiatives:

That seek to:I. Understand the global dynamics of market forces

comprehensively in relation to rhino horn specifically and wildlife products in general

II. Sustain large-scale awareness campaigns in both markets and source countries

III.Derive and promote the existence of direct and indirect benefits for communities and surrounding key populations – added value for rhino conservation efforts.

IV.Identification and engagement of multi-national agencies to support the global fight against illegal wildlife trade and its drivers.

SUMMARY OF RHINO POACHING EFFORT

Rhino Scene of Crime

Rhino Scene of Crime

Court Evidence

Court Evidence

Producer end

Consumer end

Consumer end

Extradition treaties

Bi-Lateral Agreements

Interpol

TRAFFIC

Blue list

Up scaling

CITES

SA-CITES

Responsible Decisions

Accountable for their Actions

Strengthened Integrative

Investigations

Strengthened & Sensitized

Judiciary System

Support Options

Political Will & Drive

WWF Rhino Poaching Summary

1. We stand the chance of losing decades of successful investments in rhino conservation and put the survival of the Africa rhino in peril.

2. Today, the global community holds South Africa in its trust, as the largest African rhino population now faces direct threat.

3. There is need to understand and address the drivers of rhino horn trade in the implicated states that are the end-users of the horn products.

4. No “silver bullet” to this crisis, rather requires a comprehensive approach that has both local and international aspects over varying timeframes.

THANK YOU

WWF AFRICAN RHINO PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES

Support to:• Veterinary Genetics Lab: RhODIS database for DNA local and international forensic processes Prosecutions and investigative efforts by government. Provincial park authorities on anti-poaching and rhino management Black Rhino Range Expansion Programme Bi-lateral and regional rhino conservation workshops and forum Rhino strategy development Media and direct advocacy campaigns Bi-lateral Government Exchanges Training, Capacity building and local community investment in rhino conservation efforts

WWF PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS TRAFFIC played the leading role in promoting law enforcement collaboration between South Africa and Viet Nam by organising and funding the trip of five South African law enforcement officials to Viet Nam in October 2010 and five Vietnamese counterparts to South Africa in September 2011.

TRAFFIC developed the rhino horn stocks database mandated in new Norms and Standards for registering all horn stocks in South Africa.

TRAFFIC are co-ordinating surveys assessing rhino numbers and population performance in South Africa.

TRAFFIC are developing studies to assess global markets in terms of rhino horn use and demand.

Establish the potential for criminal linkages

Scene of Rhino Crime

Rhino DNA Profiling linking elements along the poaching – trade chain

Confiscated rhino horn

Confiscated rhino horn

By association