White rhino auction draws mixed reaction

September 30 2011 at 01:51pm

Reuters

An eight year old Rhino walks after being inserted with a GPS device to keep track of its movements and attempts at poaching, at the Mafikeng Game Reserve, in the North West province, last year.

Kamcilla Pillay & Laea Medley

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has once again drawn mixed reactions from conservation bodies on the eve of its annual white rhino auction tomorrow, where the group plans on selling 30 of the animals.

The auctions, which have been held since 1989, stirred controversy after Musina-based game farmer Dawie Groenewald (who was later found to be facing charges of poaching rhinos and trading in rhino horn) had bought some of his animals through these auctions.

Yolan Friedmann, chief executive of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, said they did not have a problem with the practice.

“Ezemvelo has a policy of selling game and unfortunately, for financial reasons, they will have to keep doing it.

“We request that they really scrutinise where the animals are going. They must make sure that the buyers have no outstanding criminal litigations or permit irregularities against them,” he said.

Chris Galliers, conservation project manager at the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (Wessa), said: “Spreading rhino populations is a good thing – it ensures that there is diversity in terms of breeding. It is also bridging the rift between public and private ownership.”

He also said Ezemvelo should offer buyers support to make sure the animals were being looked after adequately.

Animal Action founder Ethel Horsman said her organisation placed animals in homes and didn’t sell them.

“I don’t like the idea of selling and auctioning animals. If it means that the rhinos will be protected, then I guess they have to do it,” she said.

One of the aims of the 22nd auction at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park was to get rid of surplus animals.

“Once an area reaches carrying capacity, animals have to be removed from it in order to prevent them from destroying the area completely,” said Dr Bandile Mkhize, chief executive of the organisation, at a talk earlier this month. “We don’t need poachers to help reduce the number of rhinos.”

The money raised by the auction helps fund communities supported by the reserve in the form of infrastructure, including roads and classrooms.