White rhino from Kruger sold to hunters, it is feared

Hundreds of white rhino from one of the world's most famous game reserves are to be herded up and sold, many of them to private hunters.
The Telegraph 8 Jul 09;

Up to 350 of the rare animals will be sold this year alone from the Kruger National Park under fundraising plans drawn up by the South African government.

Animal rights groups have criticised the move and warned it would undermine conservation efforts at the reserve, which is visited by 1.5 million tourists every year.

Steve Smit, spokesman for Animal Rights Africa, said: "The idea of herding up animals from a major wildlife reserve and selling them to private institutions is outrageous.

"We have a duty to protect these rare animals, but the South African government is more interested in making money than conservation.

"Many of these animals will end up being bought by hunters who will simply shoot them. How does that fit with any sensible ecological planning?

"This plan totally undermines any attempts to protect wildlife and leaves the Kruger National Park looking like little more than a private game breeder."

South African National Parks bosses admitted last week they had earmarked up to 350 rhino be sold from Kruger this year to raise money for other projects.

Hector Magome, director of the government-funded organisation, said: "The plan is to sell between 200 and 350 white rhinos, but we may end up selling just over 200.

"The money is only spent after applications for conservation projects are submitted to a special committee."

Kruger National Park is the biggest game reserve in South Africa, covers an area of more than 7,000 square miles and is home to around 7,000 white rhino as well as more than 140 other species of mammal.

Experts fear the decision to sell so many animals could see an unprecedented number of rhino falling into the hands of private hunters.

Bosses started selling white rhino from Kruger in 2002 for around £12,000 (R150,000) each but have since sold an average of just 70 a year.

Some of the captured animals have been bought by private game reserves or zoos.

However, many have been sold to hunters, who charge foreign tourists up to £61,887 to shoot them in controlled game parks.

Mr Smit added: "We have a huge amount of anecdotal evidence that suggests a large number of the animals that have been previously been sold have been shot by hunters - sometimes almost immediately."

Most of the rhino due to be sold will be captured from the Kruger's southern region, where the population is densest and where many of the park's visitors start their safari tours.

The move comes amid increasing pressure on South Africa's rhino population from illegal hunting and poaching.

Last year wildlife authorities uncovered a rhino horn smuggling scam, and poaching incidents have soared during the last 18 months.

Official figures showed 74 rhino were poached in South Africa last year, the highest on record.

As a species, the white rhino has fought back since the start of the twentieth century, when it was the verge of extinction.

Latest figures show a global population of around 17,000 in the wild, 95 percent of which are in southern Africa.