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Laws on the hunting of rhinos
more stringent 10 October 2011 09:23:12 AM Elise Tempelhoff The officials must immediately after the hunt provide a report on the hunt to the national Department of Environmental Affairs. Mr. Albi Modise, spokesperson of the department said yesterday that government is forced to make suggestions for changes to the current legislation on the legal hunting of rhinos because a handful of individuals are exploiting the system. Modise said that Mrs. Edna Molewa, minister of environmental affairs after consultation with nine provisional MEC of environmental affairs decided to not institute a moratorium on the legal hunting of rhinos, but to rather make the current legislation more stringent. Government regards the abuse of the permit system that will remains in the hands of the provincial authorities in a very serious light and will do whatever is necessary to stem the illegal hunting of rhinos. One way to close the loopholes is to place the responsibility of ensuring legal hunting on the shoulders of trained officials. Government are suggesting that environmental officials must accompany all hunts. These officials must ensure that microchips are placed in the dead rhino’s horn immediately after the hunt and that DNA samples are taken. All rhino hunts must be controlled more stringently by the issuing of a hunting permit in line with the regulations on endangered and protected species. Government further suggest that DNA sampling must be done on all rhinos (dead and alive) and that it should be sent to the central database at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institutes genetic laboratory. Mrs. Adri Kitshoff, executive officer of the Professional Hunting Association said she welcomed the fact that a moratorium will not been instituted on the legal hunting of rhinos. Her organisation will do everything in their power to ensure that rhinos are hunted legally she said. Mrs. Louise Joubert of the non-government organisation SanWild said that she remains on the opinion that the moratorium would have assisted government to rid provicional offices of corrupt officials. She also said that any hunting of rhinos should stipulate the gender of the animals to be hunted as currently even lactating rhino cows or cows with un-weaned calves are hunted. It all depends on the horn size and the money offered for a particular rhino. Comments on the proposed
changes can be read on the link below. Should you wish to
comment your suggestions must reach the department before 16h00
on the 30th October 2011. - Die Burger |