Poaching of rhinoceroses in Africa has been increasing quickly and is now at a 15-year high.
This is a small and fragile population, and the United States should join governments and environmental groups worldwide to reverse the trend.
It's not as simple as stopping poaching, which is partially a consequence of the global recession, and largely Asian (and now especially Vietnamese) demand for rhino horns. The pricey eco-tourism that made keeping rhinos alive so important to local populations is really hurting. In times such as these, it's easy for people worried about feeding their families to forget a commitment to biodiversity and respond instead to the Asian demand. Or, even if they're not poaching, to turn a blind eye to those who are.
The numbers are not yet catastrophic. A recent report delivered to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Standing Committee in Geneva noted rhino slaughter had increased from about three a month in Africa in 2000 to 12 a month now in South Africa and Zimbabwe alone. The total population in Africa is thought to be about 18,000. Poaching of the 2,400 remaining Asian rhinos is also rising.
To read the complete editorial, visit The Kansas City Star.
Comments