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 BEIJING, CHINA (7 June 2012) – Wildlife experts and conservationists from China,
South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom, including
representatives from Humane Society International/UK, gathered in Beijing today
to call for urgent action from China to help save the world’s rhinos from
poaching. Hundreds of rhinos are poached for their horns every year largely to
supply the Asian traditional medicine market.
The Rhinos In Crisis conference, organized
by Beijing’s Capital Animal Welfare Association with the support of Humane
Society International, is one of the largest gatherings of international rhino
conservationists ever held within China. Their message to China: Rhinos are
being poached out of existence, and Chinese consumers’ demand for rhino horn
must end. photo credit: Sanwild Wildlife Sanctuary, (c) Michael Simmons
“Rhino poaching has reached a crisis point
with animals being brutally slaughtered in huge numbers to supply horn for the
Asian medicine trade. It’s vital that China takes urgent action to eradicate
consumer and business demand for horn which has no scientifically established
medicinal benefit whatsoever,” said Mark Jones, executive director of HSI/UK.
“China is a crucial partner in the global battle to save this endangered and
iconic animal from extinction. If it doesn’t act now, this species is unlikely
to survive the crisis. That would be tragedy for the whole world.”
Rhino poaching has skyrocketed in recent
years. In 2007 there was a global average of 12 poaching incidents reported
annually. By 2011 in South Africa alone, 448 rhinos were killed for their horn
and predictions are that around 600 rhinos will have been killed by the end of
2012. There are now fewer than 30,000 rhinos in Africa and Asia combined and
four of the five surviving rhino species are listed on the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature Red List as threatened with extinction.
Demand for rhino horn in Asia has reached
new heights following unsubstantiated claims that a Vietnamese official was
cured of cancer by using rhino horn. Reports suggest that rhino horn is selling
for up to $65,000 per kg on the black market.
“Rhinos die from massive blood loss, pain
and shock after their horns are hacked off by the poachers. The few that
survive endure months of painful treatment,” said William Fowlds, wildlife vet
and chairman of the Association of Eastern Cape Private Nature Reserves. “We
are certain that the Chinese people would not want to be associated with this
barbarity, and we urge them to assist us in the fight to stop the poaching.”
Unscrupulous poachers show no mercy even
for infant rhinos. They are either killed for their tiny stump of horn, or left
traumatized after witnessing the slaughter of their mothers.
"We know that Chinese people care
about animals too, and we're desperately hoping that by communicating to them
the impact that rhino horn consumption is having on our precious rhino,
they will respond quickly and with compassion, as they have often done before,”
said Karen Trendler, co-ordinator of the Rhino Response Strategy in South
Africa, which rescues calves orphaned by the poaching.
Notes:.
- All
species of rhinoceros (except certain populations of southern white rhino) are
listed on Appendix I of CITES / Annex A of the EC Regulations implementing
CITES in the EU, affording rhinos the highest level of protection
photo credit: Sanwild Wildlife Sanctuary, (c) Michael Simmons
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