Today, September 22, is World Rhino Day. All over the world, people will take a stand against rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn.
Approximately 600 rhino have been poached globally since 2005, with rhino horn from southern Africa destined mainly for consumer markets in China and Vietnam. Poaching continues despite the fact that rhino horn has been scientifically tested and proven to have no medicinal value.
In neighbouring South Africa, rhino are being poached by sophisticated, highly-organised crime syndicates at a rate of one per day.
While the current poaching crisis in South Africa and Zimbabwe has not yet spilled over the borders into Namibia, there is growing fear that this is imminent.
Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism, in partnership with MTC, took proactive steps in May this year when they launched the 55555 SMS hotline where the public were asked to report any suspicious activity.
Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said recently: "Poaching will affect your life. Rhino poaching will steal from you and your family. It will rob you financially and spiritually. We are the generation that is the custodians of these, God's remarkable creatures. And we must protect them."
Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) is an indigenous, non-profit organisation that has conserved and protected the Kunene black rhino population since 1982. The organisation was founded by concerned conservationists in response to the large-scale poaching of rhino in Namibia in the 1970s and 1980s. Post-independence, SRT and the Environment Ministry continued to protect the remaining desert-adapted black rhino and as a result, the Kunene's black rhino population has quadrupled in size.
The Kunene Region's black rhino population is unique in that it is the largest concentration of black rhino on earth to roam free on land that has no formal conservation status. SRT maintains a consistent patrolling and monitoring presence amongst these desert-adapted black rhino across 25 000 square km.
SRT also works closely with NamPol's Protected Resource Unit in an effort to prevent poaching incidents.
The range of the Kunene rhinos is shared by neighbouring communal conservancies. SRT has employed and trained more than 60 community game guards to date. Increased tourism within the region because of the rhinos' presence, directly benefits communal conservancies.
A joint rhino-based tourism venture between Wilderness Safaris and SRT scientifically researched the effects of human-induced disturbance on black rhino, which led to the development of a responsible rhino-viewing tourism protocol.
However you choose to get involved, protection of Namibia's flagship species requires everyone's contribution. Pro-active teamwork is essential to secure Namibia's rhino and our natural heritage for future generations to enjoy.
RHINO FACTS
- In the mid-1960s about 67 black rhino were counted in Namibia. Today the population has recovered to more than 1 500 rhinos thrive in Namibia.
- Namibia is world renowned for the first black rhino custodian programme. Under the programme animals were. Currently more than 30 custodians are enrolled, which includes owners on freehold land as well as conservancies on communal land.
- Etosha National Park is home to the largest population of protected black rhino in the world.
- More than 70 per cent of all rhino in high-risk areas are fitted with tracking devices that alert Ministry of Environment officials when the animal disappears.
- The national population increases on average between 5 to 7 per cent annually, which is a higher average than for populations in neighbouring countries where rhinos exist under less harsh environmental conditions.
- 95 per cent of the subspecies Diceros bicornis bicornis (desert-adapted black rhino) occurs in Namibia
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