In an effort to stamp out the hunting that has driven the Rhino to the verge of extinction, the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act has been passed in South Africa.
Amongst other measures it requires the horns of living Rhino to be embedded with a microchip that allows that horn to be logged and, if necessary, traced. The existing horns of dead animals must also be chipped to ensure they are not sold on to traders who still make large profits by selling them onto the far East of Asia.
It also tightens up on the hunting regulations, ensuring that all authorised kills are properly logged and dealt with.
“…all applications for the hunting of rhino received by the issuing authorities must be referred to the Department of Environmental Affairs for recommendation within the time frames stipulated in TOPS,” said Albi Modise, Spokesperson from Environmental Affairs.
“A person may only hunt and export one rhino for trophy purposes per year. The Environment Department will compile a database of hunters to ensure that a hunter does not hunt more than one animal in different provinces per year.”
The new legislation is part of South Africa’s programme to protect and manage its White Rhino population, by ensuring that the poaching that has taken such a toll on the animal is eradicated, and population surplus is used to generate funds that can be put back into securing the creatures future.
