South Africa lifts ban on domestic rhino horn trade

He cited statistics showing the number of rhinos poached in 2008, before the ban, was just below 100, compared to about 1,200 previous year.

The South African government did not immediately comment on whether it would appeal the ruling.

Legodi said the South African government had failed to properly consult the public before imposing the moratorium in 2009 and also questioned its effectiveness, noting that rhino poaching surged to record levels after the ban.

One of the breeders, John Hume, blamed a sharp increase in rhino poaching on the ban.

“If continued leakage from a legal domestic horn trade is still going to China and Vietnam, it will be coming from multiple sources [now that the ban has been lifted]… and it will continue to stoke demand in [those countries]”.

Last year, a record 1,215 rhinos were killed in South Africa, where 80% of the world’s rhino population lives.

“Furthermore, the extent of smuggling or illegal export of rhino horns due to lack of implementation of the applicable measures is not known”.

“Lifting of the domestic ban in South Africa is not the entire war won, but it is at least a battle that has been won”, said a statement from Hume’s lawyer.

During the hearing, Judge Legodi noted that poaching had soared since the ban was imposed.

And Born Free Foundation President, Will Travers OBE, said: “Rhinos are threatened by poaching for their horns across their remaining African and Asian range”.

The ministers office has however warned that this does not mean that rhino horn trade will take place in an unregulated manner, in the absence of the moratorium.

“(Hume) hopes that a legalised trade will lead to a reduction in poaching”.

The environment ministry said that the court’s order would be suspended as soon as the government lodged its appeal. Trading in horn will not save rhinos – it could hasten their extinction. Leading global economists and conservation experts agree that the markets for rhino horn are highly unpredictable, and that legalising the trade would be a huge risk, one that will be very hard to reverse should it prove disastrous – as I predict it will.

Pelham Jones of the Private Rhino Owners Association welcomed Thursday’s ruling.