Rhino horn trade ban confirmed at nature conference

AFP extension

ANNOUNCEMENTS•yesterday, 11.40pm

The international ban on rhino horn trade was confirmed at the World Wildlife Conference in Panama. The African country eSwatini had asked to allow the trade again, but the proposal did not make it to the committee’s vote.

The World Species Conference kicked off early last week, where representatives from 160 governments agree on the protection of nearly 600 plant and animal species. The conference lasts until Friday.

eSwatini is sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique and is home to 98 rhinos. In the previous two conferences, the country has also tried to relax the ban on international rhino horn trade.

No rhino needs to be killed to sell enough horns, eSwatini representatives say. The earth still has a supply and to replenish it one can also saw off the horns, without running out of animals.

Poachers

In 1977, the international trade in rhino horn was banned. Since the horns cost between €30,000 and €50,000 per kilo, the animals are often hunted illegally. For example, the horns are often sold to Asian traders, also because in some countries the horns are believed to have medicinal properties

Some countries want to legalize the horn trade. They say they want to use the money raised by the antlers for nature conservation. Opponents fear that legalization will lead to large-scale rhino poaching.

What is the World Wildlife Conference?

The World Wildlife Conference will decide on any changes to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This regulates the world trade in endangered animal and plant species through a system of import and export licenses. 183 countries and the European Union are members of the treaty, also known as CITES.

This year marks the nineteenth time in fifty years that the conference has been held. According to the organisation, the current edition comes at a crucial moment: “This year there have been a number of scientific reports calling for halting the loss of biodiversity. This is important if we are to preserve the well-being of our planet and people. they want to keep.” They usually follow the decisions made at the nature conference 90 days in operation. This way, countries have time to prepare for the new rules.

At today’s conference it was also decided that Namibia can sell its white rhinos again. A strict condition is that live animals are only traded in the context of nature conservation in other parts of Africa.

A proposal to regulate trade in one species of shark – the requiem shark – was already approved late last week. As a result, more requiem shark species will soon be protected.

The requiem shark family consists of 52 species, often taken for their fins. These are often used in shark fin soup in Asian countries. “Soon about 70 percent of sharks will be protected and countries will need to take steps to steer them better,” said Luke Warwick, deputy director of the shark and ray program at conservation organization WCS.

The decision on bolt sharks will take effect in just a year, reports the Reuters news agency. In addition, a proposal from the European Union on the protection of hammerhead sharks was unanimously approved.