More than 120 rhino have already been poached fromthe Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, since the beginning of 2015. According to Citizens, this was revealed by KNP’s Dani Pienaar in Skukusa on Africa Environment Day.
According to the ‘Citizen,’ Dr Moscow Marumo, South African National Parks (SANParks) chief director of biodiversity management and planning, said that the Africa Environment Day was to inform about the importance of celebrating the world’s biodiversity and to highlight the key challenges of wildlife.
“It is a day to remind people of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, which has wide ranging impacts on economic, environmental and social status on communities around world,” Marumo noted. Dr Jo Shaw of World Wildlife South Africa said that the African country was blessed with a magnificent diversity of wildlife and “has long been viewed as a world leader in conservation and a major wildlife tourism destination”.
“More recently, growing wealth in Asia and increased involvement of trans-national organised crime syndicates has elevated the global threat of illicit wildlife trafficking,” Shaw said and added. “Whilst this threat is well recognised for our rhinos, a large number of other species, including reptiles and plants such as cycads, are also under serious pressure from illegal wildlife trade. So we need increased commitment to all our wildlife species. In the long-term, we need to see management of our natural resource with benefits to people, showing the clear links between people and nature,” Shaw said.
SANParks CEO Fundesile Mketeni said that, thanks to the the Kruger translocation programme, the South African Park was becoming a source of rhino for Southern Africa.
UN message on the World Wildlife Day
Illegal wildlife trade undermines rule of law, degrades ecosystems and severely hampers the efforts of rural communities striving to sustainably manage their natural resources,Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon said yesterday as the United Nations marked World Wildlife Day.
“Combatting this crime is not only essential for conservation efforts and sustainable development; it will contribute to achieving peace and security in troubled regions where conflicts are fuelled by these illegal activities,” said Mr. Banin a messageon the Day.
“Getting serious about wildlife crime means enrolling the support of all sections of society involved in the production and consumption of wildlife products, which are widely used as medicines, food, building materials, furniture, cosmetics, clothing and accessories,” the Secretary-General added.
According to the United Nations, as many as 100,000 African elephants were killed between 2010 and 2012. For forest elephants, the population declined by an estimated 62 per cent between 2002 and 2011. Accordingto CITES, 1,215 rhinos were poached in South Africa alone in 2014 – this translates to one rhino killed every eight hours. Approximately 94 per cent of rhino poaching takes place in South Africa, which has the largest remaining populations and rhino horn poached in 2014 is valued at an estimated $63 to $192 million.
In his remarks, CITES Secretary-General John Scanlonsaid: “Illegal wildlife trade is threatening the survival of some of our most charismatic species, as well as some plants and animals you may have never heard of. And it threatens people, their livelihoods, their safety and security…The situation is serious”, he declared.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/more-120-rhino-poached-south-africa