That WWF is doing to save the rhino
That WWF is doing to save the rhino
In April 1991, WWF launched a global campaign to close down the world's major markets in rhino horn: South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand,
and China. WWF also stepped up its activities in rhino range states in a last ditch attempt to save the world's five extant rhino species
from extinction. In Africa, the black rhinoceros was disappearing at an accelerating rate. Its numbers were dropping faster than any other
large land mammal in recent history, from an estimated 65,000 in the 1970s to less than 4,000 in 1991.
In spite of major investment in protection in African rhino range states, that number has nearly halved to around 2,500 today. In
Indonesia, 1993 estimates reveal that in the last decade the numbers of Sumatran rhinos may have also nearly halved from around 950 to
around 450. Last year, as many as 22 greater one-horned rhinos were poached in the Manas Tiger Reserve in northeast India, which
borders the Bhutan Manas National Park. WWF's activities in the tiger reserve have been suspended because insurgents have occupied
the park. Elsewhere in India, rhino numbers are stable and in Nepal, rhino numbers have increased, but poaching is still a serious
problem. In Kenya, South Africa, and Namibia black and white rhino numbers are all increasing, thanks to good management in these
countries and in part to WWF support.
The shocking drop in numbers in the majority of rhino range states in Africa has prompted WWF to launch several emergency and
long-term projects, including an assessment of whether its approach and that of other NGOs to rhino conservation have been effective.
The project on cost/benefit analysis of rhino conservation, co-funded by the Wildlife Conservation Society, is presently underway and
should be completed soon.
WWF's multi-pronged approach includes investigating and monitoring the illegal trade in rhino horn and other rhino parts, enhancing
habitat protection, assisting with programmes aimed at reducing conflicts between protected areas managers and people living in and
around reserves, stepping up anti-poaching efforts and informant schemes, initiating through regional bodies, education and training
activities for field staff, park guards and villagers. In addition, WWF has supported translocation as well as dehorning. Because most of
the rhinos that were dehorned in Zimbabwe were poached when their horns started growing back, WWF is evaluating the consequences
of dehorning. WWF has also supported development of rhino conservation plans in several range states and in 1994 appointed a
Nairobi-based Senior Conservation Adviser for Species and Protected Areas for Africa.
MAKING CITES WORK
In 1993-94, WWF greatly increased support for TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and IUCN. TRAFFIC is
exploring culturally sensitive ways to discourage consumption of rhino horn and other rhino parts for medicinal purposes and to
encourage the use of effective substitutes. WWF is assisting law enforcement agencies in improving implementation of CITES and is
placing political pressure on governments of countries and territories of key concern to stop the illegal trade.
WWF has budgeted US$200,000 for a series of TRAFFIC projects (1993-94) to investigate and monitor the illegal trade in rhino and
tiger products in consumer countries and territories including China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with the ultimate aim of
shutting down the illegal trade.
In 1993-94, WWF also funded undercover investigations of the illegal rhino horn trade in Yemen, Oman, India, Nepal, Thailand,
Indonesia, and Vietnam through regional TRAFFIC offices. Results of all of these studies and projects have helped WWF, IUCN, and
TRAFFIC advise governments on how they can better implement CITES or become member nations of the Convention.
Undercover work in Taiwan led to the unprecedented decision by the US Government to impose, under the Pelly Amendment in August
1994, limited trade sanctions on Taiwan because of its failure to stop its illegal tiger bone and rhino horn trade. TRAFFIC Taipei is
working closely with the Taiwan government to help it change and strengthen domestic wildlife legislation and to help the government
enforce CITES.
TRAFFIC NETWORK
In December 1991, WWF financed the establishment of a regional TRAFFIC office for East and Southern Africa in Malawi with
branches in Tanzania and South Africa set up in early 1992. The TRAFFIC Network offices were created for the purpose of monitoring
the trade in plants, live animals, animal products, notably rhino horn and ivory, throughout East and Southern Africa. One of the first
studies undertaken by the Network was a report on the decline of the black rhino in Zimbabwe, published in 1993. In Zambia, TRAFFIC
is assisting the Species Protection Department of the Anti-corruption Commission in setting up a computerized database with the aim of
detecting and uncovering smuggling networks. TRAFFIC is also involved in registering rhino horn and elephant tusks in government
storerooms in several African countries. WWF provides annual support of over US$200,000 to the East/Southern Africa TRAFFIC
Network.
In 1992, WWF funded the creation of a regional TRAFFIC office in Malaysia for field investigations and general trade monitoring
throughout Southeast Asia and set up a TRAFFIC office in New Delhi at WWF-India. TRAFFIC-India is currently investigating the
illegal trade in the products of the greater one-horned rhino. An earlier probe exposed an Indian national park official who was dealing in
rhino horn. Annual assistance to the TRAFFIC India office is US$45,000 and US$130,000 for the regional Southeast Asia office.
WWF also supports TRAFFIC offices in Taipei, re-opened in 1993, and in Hong Kong, opened at WWF-Hong Kong in 1994, to
monitor the East Asia region. The main focus of TRAFFIC Taipei's work has been to monitor the market for rhino horn and tiger bone.
Investigators in Taipei recorded large stockpiles of rhino horn. Annual support to the Taipei office is US$80,000.
Specific TRAFFIC projects planned for east Asia include bringing together members of the Korean traditional medicine community, law
enforcement officials and conservationists. Another activity will explore ways to dissuade the use of endangered wildlife as medicine,
drawing on the expertise of Chinese and Korean sociologists, traditional medicine doctors, and advertising, media and marketing
specialists. WWF has budgeted US$180,000 for 1994-95 to support the TRAFFIC East Asia office.
IUCN RHINO SPECIALIST GROUPS
WWF funds activities of IUCN's African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups. IUCN's Species Survival Commis-sion's Specialist
Groups have provided the primary source of technical information on rhino and other species conservation in Africa and Asia. The rhino
population estimates published in this report are provided by these groups. This year WWF is providing US$77,000 to the African group.
RHINO HORN IS NOT AN APHRODISIAC
Western conservationists have often attributed the Chinese demand for rhino horn to supposed aphrodisiacal properties. The
penis of the rhino still has limited use as an aphrodisiac in Laos, Thailand, and India, and genital tonic pills are still on the
market in China, but the horn is generally used as a fever-reducing remedy.
Scientists of the Swiss pharmaceutical firm, Hoffmann-La Roche, have declared that they found that rhino horn has no effect
on the human body, good or bad. Some Chinese scientists in Hong Kong published in medical journals that they found that
the horn did have some cooling effect on fever, but only in massive doses served to laboratory rats.
Unfortunately, the erroneous publicity about the supposed aphrodisiacal properties of rhino horn may have increased use by
Asians, and also people in other regions. In 1976, Swiss customs officers seized 52 African rhino horns being imported by a Geneva "health club".
Black rhino
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