TO:  THE CITES SECRETARIAT AND STANDING COMMITTEE
 ALL MEMBER STATES OF CITES 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS  - CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM SIMUM 

In 2012, Margot Stewart and Rian Geldenhuys, under the auspices of Rhino SOS (now an NPO Wild and Free SA), sent a series of letters to the CITES Secretariat, the Rhino Working Group and all CITES member countries, with regard to the conservation status of the Southern White rhinoceros populations of South Africa and Swaziland. 

In the 2012 letters we identified the main reason behind the increase in rhino poaching and petitioned CITES to pay attention to the following points that would relieve the crisis situation:

1.  WE identified that the increase in rhino poaching was linked to the approval by CITES of an Annotation in 1994 DOWNLISTING the white rhino population of South Africa allowing trade in live rhinos. 

2.   WE requested that CITES implement a Suspension of Trade for South Africa due to non-compliance of regulations until the rhino poaching crisis abated

3.   WE petitioned CITES to increase the conservation status of the white rhino from Near Threatened to Endangered.

4.   WE petitioned CITES to cancel the Annotations of 1994 and 2004 and reclassify Ceratotherium simum simum on Appendix I.  
 
During the period since the first letter was sent in April 2012 till May 2016 AT LEAST 4,425 rhinos have been recorded as poached in South Africa. 

I REPEAT…AT LEAST FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE RHINOS DIED NEEDLESSLY BECAUSE CITES FAILED TO CONSIDER THE REVERSAL OF THE ANNOTATIONS OF 1994 AND 2004.

(Unbelievably, the South African authorities refuse to adjust the population figures of white rhino even though some experts on both sides – pro and anti trade - have disputed the current estimate of 20,000. The true population number is estimated to be half that.)

The political situation in South Africa is dire, and has had an adverse effect on conservation.  Wildlife is no longer considered by the South African government to be a national heritage, but rather is viewed as a natural resource to be exploited. 

The protection of this endangered species will have to be accomplished by applying strict parameters regulating international trade and policing illegal activity through organisations such as Interpol. 

Many well-meaning organisations have worked long and hard trying to solve the crisis of rhino poaching but the many solutions that have been put forward have all failed.  South African businessmen are pushing rhino horn as an investment commodity and this has attracted international organised criminals who run poaching and smuggling gangs. 

One of the WORST possible solutions is that we should increase the availability of rhinos and rhino horn.  This has perpetuated the myth that rhino horn has monetary value. 

THE REAL REASON WHY RHINO POACHING HAS INCREASED IS BECAUSE RHINOS (SINCE 1994) HAVE BEEN MADE READILY AVAILABLE FOR EXPLOITATION.

It is obvious that those who are pro-trade of rhino horn will not cease their efforts until access to the rhinoceros species is permanently restricted and trade is for scientific purpose only. 

The Directors and members of Wild and Free SA once again request the following actions from the Secretariat and individual member states of CITES to avoid extinction of this species:

A.   INCREASE THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE SOUTHERN WHITE RHINO (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM SIMUM) FROM “LEAST VULNERABLE” TO “ENDANGERED”.

B.   REVOKE THE ANNOTATIONS OF 1994 AND 2004 THAT DOWNLISTED THE SOUTHERN WHITE POPULATIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA AND SWAZILAND AND RESTORE THE SPECIES TO APPENDIX I.

C.  CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF EXISTING STOCKPILES.

 

MARGOT STEWART  -  CEO

WILD AND FREE SA
https://www.facebook.com/groups/WILDANDFREESA/
http://www.wildandfree.org.za/

PLEASE READ THE UPDATES FOR THIS PETITION - SCROLL DOWN